Mali's Government in Crisis Following Coordinated Attacks
The Malian government is grappling with severe challenges after a series of coordinated attacks that began on Saturday, affecting multiple locations across the country, from the Algerian border to the capital city of Bamako. The garrison town of Kati, located approximately fifteen kilometers from the center of Bamako, has been particularly hard hit. This town is home to military forces that have been part of the transitional government since the coups in 2020 and 2021. On Sunday, fighting erupted again near Kati, prompting air force intervention as tensions escalated.
By Monday, a tense calm prevailed, but speculation ran rampant throughout the day. The death of Defense Minister Sadio Camara, initially reported by the French newspaper Le Figaro and subsequently denied by Bamako, was later confirmed by various media outlets, leading to the announcement of a two-day state mourning. Meanwhile, Interim President Assimi Goïta seems to have gone missing, with government sources indicating he is safe within the country, though rumors online suggest he may have been moved abroad.
Tuareg Separatists Claim Control Amidst Government Retreat
The Tuareg separatists, who have allied with the jihadist group known as the "Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims" (GISM, formerly "Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb"), claim to have established a pact with the Russian military unit known as the "Afrikakorps" for the withdrawal of their combatants from the city of Kidal. Since Saturday, these units have reportedly been encircled at the military base "Camp 2." The Tuareg separatists assert that they have full control over Kidal, situated in the northernmost region of Mali, a claim initially refuted by Bamako. However, the central government later referred to a "tactical repositioning" of its forces, effectively acknowledging the withdrawal from Kidal. This loss is highly symbolic, as the Malian military had only re-entered Kidal in 2023 after a decade of absence and control by Tuareg separatists, who were at times supported by the French military until 2022.
The Russian "Afrikakorps," which has replaced the previously active Wagner mercenary group in Mali for approximately two years, announced on social media that it is withdrawing its combatants from Kidal, thus confirming the retreat from this stronghold of the Tuareg separatists. Alongside Malian government soldiers, the units are reportedly moving towards the city of Gao in central Mali. Notably, the "Afrikakorps" appears to have left the region without engaging in combat, which has surprised many observers.
On Monday morning, the Secretariat of the Sahel Alliance (AES), which comprises Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, issued a strong statement accusing "imperialist forces" of supporting the attackers in a bid to punish the three AES countries for their distancing from the West. It affirmed the commitment to maintaining an independent course, with military units from Niger and Burkina Faso already deployed to assist in defending Mali. The term "imperialist forces" likely refers to the former colonial power, France.
Meanwhile, speculation, particularly within Moroccan media, has suggested possible Algerian support for the attacks on Saturday. Mali had recently aligned itself with Morocco in the conflict over Western Sahara, which contradicts the position of Algeria and Mali's previous stance. Moroccan sources have also circulated rumors about alleged ties between the rebels attacking Mali and the Algeria-backed Polisario Front for Western Sahara liberation, which appears to be a classic case of Moroccan propaganda.
As reported by jungewelt.de.
