Heavy fighting erupted across Mali on Saturday as coordinated attacks by terrorist groups and Tuareg rebels targeted military positions in and around the capital, Bamako, as well as Kati, Sevare, Gao and Kidal. The assaults mark one of the most serious challenges in years to the country’s military leadership.

The Malian army said it had repelled the attacks and killed several fighters, though gunfire continued in some areas. Helicopters carried out airstrikes over Bamako, while security forces blocked roads leading to military sites, the airport and the presidential palace. Residents reported explosions and damage to homes, including near the residence of the defense minister.

The Tuareg-led Azawad Liberation Front claimed it had captured the northern city of Kidal and made gains in the Gao region, though these claims could not be independently verified. Kidal had been retaken by government forces in late 2023 after years of rebel control.

The African Union and the United States condemned the violence, warning of risks to civilians. Mali, under military rule since coups in 2020 and 2021, has faced a prolonged security crisis driven by extremist groups, criminal networks and separatist movements in the north.