Multiple attacks have hit Mali, with explosions and heavy gunfire reported in the capital, Bamako, and other regions.
Mali said its security forces were engaged in active fighting on Saturday as armed groups launched coordinated assaults across the country.
Witnesses reported blasts and sustained gunfire near Bamako and around Kati, home to a major military base outside the capital. There were also reports of attacks in Gao, Kidal, and Sévaré.
Analysts described the violence as one of the largest coordinated militant attacks in Mali in recent years.
Reports suggest separatist group Azawad Liberation Front targeted northern cities, while jihadist group Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin carried out attacks in several locations.
Authorities said the situation was under control, though unconfirmed reports indicated clashes were still continuing.
Flights into Bamako were reportedly cancelled early Saturday, while the United Kingdom advised against all travel to Mali and said Bamako International Airport had been temporarily closed.
The United States embassy urged citizens to shelter in place. Mali has faced years of insurgency, separatist conflict, and political instability since a military coup in 2020.
The latest attacks underline the deepening security crisis and growing pressure on Mali’s ruling junta.
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