Mali has been rattled by coordinated attacks carried out by several unidentified armed groups beginning on Saturday, escalating the political and security crisis in the country, which has been under military rule for most of the past 14 years.On Sunday, a military source told Al Jazeera that Mali’s Defence Minister Sadio Camara had been killed amid coordinated attacks on military sites across the country, including the capital, Bamako. His residence in Kati was attacked on Saturday.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list“The General Staff of the Armed Forces informs the public that unidentified armed terrorist groups targeted certain locations and barracks in the capital and the interior early this morning, April 25, 2026. Fighting is ongoing,” Mali’s military said in a statement on Saturday.Al-Qaeda-linked group Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) has claimed responsibility for attacks in Kati, near the capital, as well as the Bamako airport and other locations further north, including Mopti, Sevare and Gao. Tuareg rebels also claimed participation in the latest assaults.The current military ruler, Assimi Goita, came to power in the 2021 coup on the promise to boost security amid the growing influence of armed groups in one of the most impoverished nations in the world. Goita has yet to make a public statement.So, what is the latest situation in the country and have the armed attacks been contained?Here’s what we know:What happened?On Saturday morning, Mali’s army said unidentified “terrorist” groups had attacked several military positions in Bamako and the country’s interior. Advertisement …
