Armed Groups Strike Five Locations Across Mali, Military Claims Control Restored

Armed insurgents launched coordinated attacks across several parts of Mali early Saturday, targeting military positions in at least five locations in one of the country’s most widespread offensives in recent months. Despite the scale of the attacks, the Malian military says its forces have repelled the assaults and restored control in the affected areas.

According to a statement issued by the Malian Armed Forces, the attacks targeted military positions in the northern towns of Anefis, Aguelhoc, and Gao, as well as Sévaré in central Mali and Kenioroba, located south of the capital, Bamako. The army said soldiers successfully countered the assaults and described the security situation as “totally under control.”

Military officials reported that at least 20 militants were killed in Sévaré during intense fighting, while another six insurgents were killed in Gao. One pro-government fighter was also killed and four others were injured in Gao. Security forces said aerial surveillance and ground-clearing operations remain underway to ensure no attackers remain in the affected areas.

The attacks come just over two months after a major coordinated offensive in April that targeted Bamako and several strategic locations across the country. That earlier assault, carried out jointly by the Azawad Liberation Front> (FLA) and the al-Qaeda-linked Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), resulted in the death of Mali’s defence minister and temporarily disrupted government control in parts of the north.

A spokesperson for the Azawad Liberation Front confirmed the group’s involvement in Saturday’s attacks and claimed its fighters had entered the strategic northern town of Anefis, where Malian government troops and Russian military personnel are stationed. However, the Malian army has not confirmed that claim, and independent verification remains unavailable.

Residents in Gao described hearing sustained gunfire, explosions and rocket fire before dawn. Local authorities reportedly sealed off roads around military installations as security forces searched for suspected attackers. Civilians were advised to remain indoors while military operations continued.

The latest violence underscores the persistent security challenges facing Mali despite years of military operations and growing security cooperation with Russian forces following the withdrawal of French troops and the end of the UN peacekeeping mission. Armed groups linked to al-Qaeda and the so-called Islamic State continue to operate across large parts of northern and central Mali, frequently launching attacks against military targets and civilians.

Security analysts say the renewed offensive may be intended to stretch government forces across multiple fronts while allowing insurgent groups to consolidate influence in northern Mali. The attacks also demonstrate the continued operational capability of armed groups despite repeated military campaigns against them.

Mali has been battling a complex insurgency since 2012, with separatist movements, Islamist militant groups and military coups contributing to prolonged instability across the Sahel region. The latest attacks are expected to intensify concerns over regional security and the ability of the military-led government to contain increasingly coordinated insurgent operations.