Fresh militant offensive rocks multiple towns in Mali

Armed jihadist groups launched a fresh wave of coordinated attacks across several parts of Mali on Friday, targeting military positions and other strategic locations in an escalation of the country’s prolonged security crisis.

The attacks were reported in the northern towns of Gao, Anefis and Aguelhok, as well as Sévaré in central Mali. A prison in Kenieroba, southwest of the capital Bamako, was also attacked.

According to local authorities and security sources, the assaults began in the early hours of the morning, with gunfire and explosions reported almost simultaneously across the affected areas.

Mali’s armed forces said troops were responding to the attacks and had been deployed to restore security. Military authorities have not yet released an official casualty figure.

Residents in some of the affected towns reported hearing sustained exchanges of gunfire as security personnel confronted the attackers. The full extent of the damage remains unclear.

The latest offensive is one of the most extensive coordinated attacks in recent months and underscores the persistent threat posed by Islamist militant groups operating across the Sahel region.

Mali has battled an insurgency since 2012, with groups linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State carrying out frequent attacks on military installations, government facilities and civilian communities.

The country’s military government has relied on intensified security operations and closer defence cooperation with Russia following the withdrawal of French forces. However, militant violence has continued in several parts of the country, spreading beyond the north into central and southern regions.

Security analysts say the latest attacks highlight the ability of insurgent groups to coordinate operations across vast areas despite sustained military campaigns.

Authorities have urged residents in the affected communities to remain vigilant while security operations continue. No group immediately claimed responsibility, although suspicion has fallen on jihadist organisations active in the region that have carried out similar coordinated assaults in the past.