JNIM and Tuareg rebels launch Mali’s biggest coordinated attack in years, striking airport and northern towns

Mali experienced one of its largest coordinated attacks in years on Saturday. Al-Qaida-linked Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimeen (JNIM) and the Tuareg-led Azawad Liberation Front claimed responsibility for the assaults. The attacks targeted Bamako’s international airport and four other cities in central and northern Mali.

JNIM stated on its website, Az-Zallaqa, that it conducted the attacks jointly with the Azawad Liberation Front. This coalition struck Bamako’s Modibo Keïta International Airport, located 15 kilometers from the city center and adjacent to a Malian air force base. Attacks also occurred in Kati, home to Mali’s main military base, and in the central and northern cities of Sévaré, Mopti, Kidal, and Gao.

Residents described intense experiences during the assaults. In Kati, gunfire and explosions woke residents. A Gao resident reported that explosions "shook his home’s doors and windows," leaving him "scared out of his wits." The Malian army reported "unidentified armed terrorist groups targeted certain locations and barracks," stating soldiers engaged attackers and later brought the situation under control. The US embassy in Bamako issued a security alert, advising citizens to shelter in place.

Analysts highlight the historical precedent of such alliances. Ulf Laessing of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation warned that JNIM’s coordination with Tuareg rebels mirrors their 2012 alliance. That prior partnership initiated Mali's severe security crisis. Kidal, previously a separatist stronghold, had been retaken by Malian government forces in 2023.

This coordinated effort between JNIM and Tuareg rebels signals a concerning escalation in Mali’s ongoing security challenges. Future developments will reveal the extent of this renewed collaboration and its impact on regional stability.