Explosions and gunfire as armed groups launch co-ordinated attacks across Mali
Witnesses report clashes in the centre and north, in what has been described as the largest jihadist attack in years.
Coverage by Political Leaning
See how different sides of the spectrum reported this story
Notable Quotes
"We had been working on this operation for a long time, in a well-planned manner, and in fact, in alliance with [JNIM]."
— Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane , Activist
"The incident appeared to be the largest co-ordinated jihadist attack on Mali for years."
— Ulf Laessing , Academic
"I strongly condemn these acts which risk exposing civilian populations to significant harm."
— Mahmoud Ali Youssouf , Other
"16 people were wounded, including civilians and military personnel, and that several militants were killed."
— Gen. Issa Ousmane Coulibaly , Politician
"I hear that al-Qaida-affiliated JNIM, as well as the FLA separatist movement, are involved."
— Alex Vines , Academic
"Its forces had taken control of Kidal and some areas in Gao."
— Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane , Activist
"Its forces had taken control of Kidal as well as some areas in Gao."
— Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane , Activist
"Kidal is declared free."
— Mohamed El Maouloud Ramadan , Activist
"The coordination, conducting attacks all over the country at the same time, real coordination on the military level but also on the political level because both claims of both groups they acknowledged that they worked together, this is a first."
— Wassim Nasr , Academic
Key People
Governor of Bamako's district.
Africa programme director at the European Council on Foreign Relations.
Leader of Mali’s military junta.
Mali's military ruler who took power after coups in 2020 and 2021.
Mali's Defence Minister whose house was targeted in the attacks.
Government spokesperson for Mali.
Malian Minister of Defense who was killed in an attack.
Chairperson of the African Union Commission.
Spokesperson for the Tuareg-led Azawad Liberation Front.
Spokesman for the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA).
Defence Minister of Mali who was killed during a recent attack.
Head of the Sahel programme at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Mali.
Sahel specialist and senior research fellow at the Soufan Center.
Tags
All Coverage
Witnesses report clashes in the centre and north, in what has been described as the largest jihadist attack in years.
On April 25, 2026, coordinated attacks by Islamic militants and Tuareg separatists struck multiple locations across Mali, including the capital Bamako, in one of the country's largest assaults in recent years. The al-Qaida-affiliated group JNIM and the Azawad Liberation Front claimed joint responsibility for these attacks, which targeted Bamako’s international airport, Kati (home to Mali’s main military base), and cities such as Sevare, Mopti, Gao, and Kidal.
Gunmen have attacked Mali’s capital, Bamako, and several other locations across the country in an apparently coordinated assault involving multiple groups. The army reported fighting 'terrorist groups' that had attacked army barracks in Bamako and other areas in the military-ruled nation.
Islamist militants and separatists launched attacks across Mali, including in Bamako, Kati, Gao, and Kidal. The attacks are widely believed to have been waged by Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), in coordination with the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA), a Tuareg-dominated rebel alliance.
Islamic militants and separatists attacked several locations in Mali’s capital and other cities in one of the largest coordinated attacks in the country in recent years. The al-Qaida-linked militant group JNIM claimed responsibility for the attacks on Bamako’s international airport and four other cities in central and northern Mali.
The Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) confirmed collaborating with the al-Qaida-linked group JNIM in coordinated attacks on the Malian army, targeting Bamako's international airport and cities in central and northern Mali, resulting in at least 16 wounded and several militants killed.
Gunmen launched coordinated attacks across Mali’s capital and other cities, marking the largest assault in years, with apparent collaboration between Al Qaeda-affiliated and Tuareg separatist forces.
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