Mali’s military leadership has convened an emergency meeting to reassess their security strategy following a series of devastating militant attacks in the nation’s capital.
The attacks, which targeted a portion of the main airport and a military police training camp, resulted in the deaths of over 75 people and injured hundreds more. An Al-Qaeda-linked group, the Group to Support Islam and Muslims (JNIM), has claimed responsibility for the assaults.
In response to the attacks, Mali’s military leader, Colonel Assimi Goita, has reiterated the need for heightened vigilance and operational readiness. The junta, which has been in power since 2020, has faced increasing criticism for its handling of the security situation in the country.
The attacks have raised serious questions about the effectiveness of the junta’s military strategy and its claims of having the situation under control. Many Malians have taken to social media to demand accountability for what they perceive as a security lapse.
The JNIM attacks mark a significant escalation of violence in Bamako, which has historically been spared the kind of attacks that occur regularly in other parts of Mali. The assaults have come at a time when Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso are celebrating the one-year anniversary of their breakaway grouping, the Alliance of Sahel States.
The three countries, which have been under military rule since 2020, have severed ties with France and turned to Russia for military and political support. Mali’s leaders have launched a major military operation in the north of the country to combat armed separatist groups and militants, but the recent attacks suggest that the threat remains significant.