In a significant escalation of Mali's long-running security crisis, the country's Defense Minister, General Sadio Camara, was killed over the weekend during a wave of coordinated militant assaults. The 47-year-old general died when attackers struck his heavily guarded residence in Kati, a garrison town near the capital Bamako.
A government spokesperson confirmed the minister's death on state television on Sunday, April 26, 2026. The initial assault on his compound involved a truck loaded with explosives. The attacks, which began on Saturday, targeted multiple locations across Mali, including Bamako's international airport and the northern cities of Gao and Kidal.
In an alarming development, two major insurgent groups claimed joint responsibility for the operation. The al-Qaeda-affiliated Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) and the Tuareg-led Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) issued a statement announcing their partnership. This marks the first public instance of the separatist FLA openly operating alongside jihadist militants. An FLA spokesperson stated the operation was aimed at "defending the people against the military regime in Bamako."
During the violence, Mali's military leader, General Assimi Goïta, was evacuated to a secure location. Another senior general was wounded and received treatment in Bamako. Government spokesperson General Issa Ousmane Coulibaly reported 16 wounded, including civilians and soldiers, and said several militants were killed. A full casualty toll has not yet been released.
The attacks have drawn swift international condemnation. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres expressed deep concern and called for a coordinated international response to the rising terrorism threat in the Sahel region. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) also denounced the assaults and urged regional unity.
This incident underscores the severe deterioration of security in Mali in recent years, where militant operations have reached record levels. Government forces have also faced repeated accusations of civilian casualties during counter-insurgency campaigns. The weekend's violence follows a major attack in 2024, also claimed by an al-Qaeda-linked group, which killed around 70 people at Bamako's airport and a military camp.
The Malian government has announced two days of national mourning following the death of General Camara.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
