Coordinated armed attacks reported across Mali including capital

Armed groups launched coordinated attacks across Mali on April 25, 2026, targeting military positions nationwide including in the capital, Bamako.

The Mali Army confirmed ongoing fighting as security forces engaged to repel the attackers.

Explosions and sustained gunfire were reported near the Kati military base, a key installation outside Bamako, and around Modibo Keïta International Airport.

Soldiers have blocked roads in these areas amid the clashes.

Gunmen also took control of neighborhoods in the northeastern city of Kidal, with exchanges of gunfire reported.

Additional attacks occurred in Gao in the northeast and Sevare in central Mali.

The US Embassy in Mali advised its citizens to shelter in place following reports of explosions and gunfire near Bamako airport and the Kati base.

Flight operations into Bamako were cancelled early Saturday.

These attacks come amid Mali's ongoing security crisis, which has persisted despite the departure of UN peacekeepers and French forces.

The country remains under military rule led by Gen Assimi Goïta, who seized power in a 2020 coup promising to restore security.

The insurgency involves jihadist groups affiliated with al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, as well as separatist and criminal groups.

The military government has employed Russian mercenaries to combat the insecurity, but large parts of northern and eastern Mali remain outside government control.

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