Mali’s Defence Minister, General Sadio Camara, has been killed during a wave of coordinated attacks targeting military sites across the country, according to reports from Al Jazeera.
The violence began on Saturday when Tuareg rebels and an al-Qaeda affiliate launched simultaneous strikes on several locations, including Bamako, Gao, Kidal, and the central city of Sevare.
Al Jazeera reported that a suicide car bomb was used to attack Camara’s residence in the garrison town of Kati, located approximately 15 kilometers northwest of the capital, Bamako.
Camara was a prominent member of the military government that seized power following coups in 2020 and 2021.
"He was one of the most influential figures within the ruling military leadership and had been seen by some as a possible future leader of Mali," Al Jazeera’s Nicolas Haque reported.
Escalating violence in Kidal
Fighting continued in the northern city of Kidal through Sunday as the Malian army clashed with Tuareg rebels, according to France24.
France24 reported that the rebels had worked alongside jihadist groups on Saturday to launch coordinated strikes against major cities and government leaders.
A spokesman for the Tuareg rebels told AFP that the group intends to drive out the remaining Russian fighters currently taking refuge in a camp in Kidal.
"Fighting resumed in Kidal this morning. We want to drive out the last Russian fighters who have taken refuge in a camp," the rebel spokesman said, as confirmed by a local elected official.
France24 noted that the government forces involved in the Kidal clashes are backed by Russian mercenaries.
Security breach in military strongholds
The attacks have targeted even heavily fortified areas. Al Jazeera noted that the attackers, identified as fighters from the al-Qaeda-linked Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin and the Tuareg Liberation Front of Azawad, successfully breached Kati.
Kati is traditionally regarded as one of the most secure locations in the country, yet Al Jazeera reported that heavy gunfire and explosions could still be heard in Kidal more than 24 hours after the operation began.
Interim President Assimm Goita was moved to a secure location during the offensive to ensure his safety. Al Jazeera reported that Goita remains in command of the military.
International reactions have been swift, with the African Union, the United States Bureau of African Affairs, and the secretary-general of the Organisation of May Islamic Cooperation all condemning the attacks.
