JNIM Fighters Set Up Checkpoints Around Bamako, Seize Tessalit as Mali Army Falters

Mali’s military government, which took power in coups in 2020 and 2021, faces mounting pressure from insurgent groups in the north and centre. Recent weeks have seen a surge in attacks by Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) and Tuareg separatists from the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA). These groups have targeted military bases and killed senior officials, including the defence minister.

On Friday, JNIM fighters established checkpoints on major roads leading into Bamako, according to local reports and social media footage. Simultaneously, they took control of Tessalit, a strategic town near the Algerian border. Reuters‑verified video shows rebel vehicles moving through Tessalit and fighters hoisting the FLA flag over the town’s centre. Al Jazeera’s Nicolas Haque, reporting from Dakar, said the advance marks a big development and noted that Malian forces are not putting up a fight in the north. He added that four major northern camps are now under rebel control.

The checkpoint network around Bamako threatens to restrict movement of goods and people, potentially worsening shortages in the capital. Holding Tessalit gives rebels a foothold for further operations toward key desert routes and mineral sites. The lack of resistance raises questions about the morale and readiness of Mali’s army and its foreign backers, including Russia’s African Corps. Analysts warn that if the junta cannot regain control, the insurgents may expand their influence southward.