Malian defense chief killed in attack that saw jihadis and rebels seize towns, military bases

In a dramatic escalation of Mali’s long-running conflicts, Malian Defense Minister General Sadio Camara was killed during an attack on his residence, according to multiple sources speaking on Sunday. The killing came amid one of the most coordinated and widespread rebel offensives the West African nation has experienced in years.

A military official, speaking on condition of anonymity due to lack of authorization to address the media, confirmed the defense minister’s death. The information was corroborated by both a civil society leader and a security member. Mali’s government has yet to issue an official statement on Camara’s reported death.

The attack on Camara’s residence was part of a larger coordinated offensive launched on Saturday by an unprecedented coalition of separatist fighters and Islamic militants. The joint operation targeted multiple cities and military installations across Mali, including the capital Bamako’s international airport, resulting in at least 16 wounded according to official statements.

In a significant strategic development, Malian government forces and Russian mercenaries have withdrawn from the northern city of Kidal following the attacks, according to rebel sources. Mohamed El Maouloud Ramadan, spokesperson for the Tuareg-led Azawad Liberation Front (FLA), a separatist group, declared “Kidal is free” after what he described as a negotiated withdrawal of government and Russian forces.

The loss of Kidal represents a symbolic reversal for Mali’s military government, as the city had only been recaptured by government forces and their Russian allies in 2023 after serving as a longtime rebel stronghold. The Malian army, while not confirming the withdrawal, stated only that they were “tracking down terrorist armed groups in Kidal.”

What makes this offensive particularly noteworthy is the unprecedented coordination between ethnic Tuareg separatists and jihadist groups. The FLA spokesperson explicitly acknowledged their partnership with JNIM, the al-Qaida-linked militant group that claimed responsibility for attacks on Bamako’s international airport and four other cities.

“This operation is being carried out in partnership with the JNIM, which is also committed to defending the people against the military regime in Bamako,” Ramadan stated.

Wassim Nasr, a Sahel specialist and senior research fellow at the Soufan Center, emphasized the unprecedented nature of this collaboration: “The coordination, conducting attacks all over the country at the same time, real coordination on the military level but also on the political level because both claims of both groups they acknowledged that they worked together, this is a first.”

The rebel alliance has specifically called on Russia to “reconsider its support for the military junta in Bamako,” accusing the government of contributing “to the suffering of the civilian population.”

In response to the attacks, authorities in Bamako have implemented a three-day overnight curfew from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has condemned the attacks and called for regional unity in combating extremist violence.

The offensive occurs against the backdrop of Mali’s complex political and security landscape. Following a series of military coups, Mali’s ruling junta — along with those in neighboring Niger and Burkina Faso — pivoted away from traditional Western allies toward Russia for security assistance. Russian mercenaries, now operating under the banner of the Russian Africa Corps following the Wagner Group’s restructuring, have become key partners for Mali’s military government.

However, security conditions have deteriorated significantly despite Russian involvement. Records indicate rising militant attacks, while government forces have faced accusations of indiscriminately targeting civilians suspected of collaborating with extremists.

Ulf Laessing, who heads the Sahel program at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, described the attacks as “a major blow to Russia as the mercenaries had no intelligence about the attacks and were unable to protect major cities.” Laessing also criticized Russian forces for “unnecessarily worsening the conflict by not distinguishing between civilians and combatants.”

While the attacks represent a serious challenge to Mali’s military government and its Russian backers, analysts suggest that JNIM remains unlikely to seize control of the capital Bamako in the near term due to limited popular support in the city.