Authorities in Mali reported late Friday that some military officers had worked in cooperation with jihadist and separatist groups who recently carried out the largest wave of attacks the country has seen in more than a decade, amid ongoing conflict.

In contrast, earlier that same day, separatist fighters announced that they had seized a strategic military camp in the northern town of Tessalit, following the withdrawal of the Malian army and its Russian allies from the site.

Mali is investigating allegations of links between military personnel and jihadist groups following major attacks.

This announcement from the Azawad Liberation Front represents a new setback for Mali's ruling military council, which lost control of the key city of Kidal earlier in the week, in a series of attacks that also killed Malian Defense Minister Sadio Camara.

Mali has been under military rule since a 2020 coup and has suffered for years from escalating violence as jihadist groups expand into large areas of the Sahel region south of the Sahara, which is one of the world’s most prominent hotspots of violent extremism.

The latest attacks began on Saturday, when the al-Qaeda-linked group Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) allied with the Azawad Liberation Front (FLN) to target the main international airport in the capital, Bamako, along with other cities and towns, in almost simultaneous attacks in which fighters used motorcycles and trucks.

A statement issued by the prosecutor at the military court in Bamako, and read on state television Friday evening, explained that the investigations had uncovered “strong evidence of the involvement of some members of the army” in those attacks, including officers on active duty and others who had recently been dismissed.

The statement added that these officers were involved in the “planning, coordination and execution” of the attacks, also noting the involvement of political figures, including Omar Mariko, a prominent Malian politician living in exile.

Malian army withdraws from strategic position

Prior to the arrival of the Azawad Liberation Front fighters on Friday, reports indicated that the Malian army and elements of the Russian “Africa Legion” had withdrawn from the Tessalit camp, which is of strategic importance due to its proximity to the airport and the Algerian border.

A senior commander of the Front, Ashafqi Ag Bohanda, announced the capture of Tessalit in a video posted online and verified by the Associated Press.

However, the agency was unable to independently verify the situation inside the camp, and the Malian authorities did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Since the start of the latest offensive, at least 10 locations have been attacked by militants, forcing Malian and Russian forces to withdraw from the important northern city of Kidal, which was once a stronghold of the separatists.

In contrast, the military council pledged to continue its air and ground operations against the militants.

Mali's military leader, Assimi Goïta, said on Tuesday: "Military operations will continue until the armed groups involved are completely eliminated and security is sustainably restored throughout the country.".

Roads leading to Bamako closed

In a related development, jihadist groups have in recent days closed roads leading to the capital, Bamako, further increasing the pressure on the city, which was already suffering from a fuel blockade imposed by militants late last year.

The group “Support for Islam and Muslims” announced earlier in the week that it would impose a complete blockade on the four main roads leading to Bamako, after having partially closed some of them.

This disrupted traffic to the capital on Friday, with reports of roadblocks, and the partial blockade forced some travel companies to suspend their operations, according to travelers.

“These days, traveling by land has become a dangerous adventure,” said Aminata Traore, who travels between Bamako and the Sikasso region in the south of the country.