A terrorist group with links to al-Qaida took responsibility for Tuesday's Bamako.
The attacks on Tuesday morning targeted a military airbase and a training area for Mali's armed forces. The attacks took place at dawn, and several hours later, Mali's military announced that they had regained control of Bamako.
Reports from witnesses and security personnel, primarily at the city's airport, stated that clashes were ongoing at the airport in the capital and that air traffic was suspended.
Special Operation
In a statement, the group JNIM took responsibility for the attacks, calling it a "special operation" targeting the airbase and training facility in central Bamako. JNIM is believed to have links to the terrorist network al-Qaida.
A person within Mali's security service told the AP news agency that "a number of people were killed" and that the damage was extensive. The military junta presented around 20 people who were said to have been arrested in connection with the attack.
The military also stated that the search for additional terrorists continued on Tuesday evening, and asked residents to stay away from the attacked areas.
Unstable Region
The instability in the entire region has increased in recent years, resulting in several military coups. In Mali, a military junta took over in 2021, just nine months after a previous coup.
Since then, the country has been led by officer Assimi Goïta, but his regime does not have full control. Separatist militias and Islamist extremists with loose links to al-Qaida and IS are wreaking havoc in large areas.
