The Azawad Liberation Front has claimed responsibility for a series of coordinated attacks targeting the Malian capital, Bamako, and other areas across the country, according to military and media reports.

Mali’s army, which operates under the country’s ruling junta, said on Saturday it was engaged in active combat with what it described as “terrorist groups” responsible for launching the surprise assaults. The military did not immediately provide details on casualties or the extent of the damage, News.az reports.

The attacks mark a rare escalation in violence in and around Bamako, an area that has largely been spared from the kind of sustained militant activity seen in other parts of the West African nation.

The Azawad Liberation Front, a separatist movement, said it carried out the operations. The group has been involved in a long-running conflict with Malian state forces, seeking greater autonomy or independence for northern regions.

Reporting from FRANCE 24, journalist Justice Baidoo noted that the FLA has in recent years been largely confined to northern Mali, making the latest attacks a significant geographic expansion of its activities.

Security conditions in Mali have deteriorated over the past decade, with various armed groups operating across the country despite repeated military interventions and political transitions. The junta, which took power following coups in 2020 and 2021, has prioritised counterinsurgency efforts but continues to face persistent instability.

There has been no immediate comment from international partners or regional organisations on the latest developments.

News.Az 

By Faig Mahmudov