Mali’s Defence Minister Sadio Camara has been killed after major coordinated attacks hit several cities.
Sadio Camara died after a car bomb struck his home in Kati, according to family sources. His second wife and two grandchildren were also killed.
The attacks were launched across multiple locations, including Bamako, Kati, Kidal, Gao and Sevare. Fighting reportedly continued into a second day.
Rebel groups linked to the Azawad Liberation Front and the jihadist group JNIM were said to be behind the coordinated assault.
Tuareg fighters also claimed control of Kidal and said an agreement had been reached for Malian troops and Russian-backed forces to withdraw from the city.
Mali has faced more than a decade of insurgency and instability, but these attacks are being described as the most serious challenge since the military junta seized power in 2020.
The latest violence places heavy new pressure on Mali’s rulers as security conditions worsen across the Sahel nation.