Mali’s Defence Minister, Sadio Camara, has been killed in a suspected suicide truck bombing at his residence near the capital, Bamako, in what officials describe as part of a wave of coordinated militant attacks across the country.
State television confirmed on Sunday that Camara died from injuries sustained during the assault, which targeted his home in Kati, a key military town outside Bamako. According to the government, a vehicle packed with explosives rammed into the residence, triggering a powerful blast.
Government spokesman Issa Ousmane Coulibaly said the minister engaged the attackers in a gun battle and “succeeded in neutralising some of them” before succumbing to his wounds in hospital.
Local reports, citing family sources, said at least three members of Camara’s family were also killed in the attack, which destroyed his residence and a nearby mosque, leaving additional civilian casualties.
The incident came amid a surge in violence blamed on jihadist groups linked to al-Qaeda and separatist fighters seeking independence for northern Mali. The head of the ruling military junta, Assimi Goïta, was reportedly moved to a secure location after his residence was also targeted.
Clashes were reported simultaneously in multiple regions, including Gao, Kidal, Mopti, and Sevare, in what analysts described as one of the most coordinated offensives in recent years.
Further north, the separatist Azawad Liberation Front claimed its fighters had forced Russian mercenaries working with Malian forces to withdraw from Kidal after two days of intense fighting. The group also declared the city “free,” though there has been no independent confirmation from the military.
The violence underscores Mali’s deepening security crisis, as insurgencies by extremist groups and separatist movements continue to challenge government control, particularly in the north and east.
In response, the military said a nationwide alert had been issued, with increased patrols and reinforced checkpoints. Curfews have also been imposed in several areas, including Bamako.
International condemnation followed swiftly. UN Secretary-General António Guterres denounced the attacks and expressed solidarity with the Malian people, while regional bloc ECOWAS and the African Union also voiced concern.
Burkina Faso’s military leader, Ibrahim Traoré, condemned the violence as “barbaric and inhumane,” warning that such attacks would not derail efforts by Sahel states to restore stability.
Mali has been under military rule since 2020, when the army, led by Goïta, seized power, pledging to end years of insecurity driven by jihadist insurgency and separatist conflict. Despite the withdrawal of French troops and UN peacekeepers, and the deployment of Russian mercenaries, large parts of the country remain outside government control.
Authorities say investigations into the latest attacks are ongoing, as security forces continue operations against militant groups across affected regions.