The sounds of cannons and machine guns echoed throughout the capital.financialSecurity has been reported in Bamako since this morning, with soldiers seen deploying and closing roads in the area, after two powerful explosions and heavy gunfire were heard early near the main military base in Kati, outside the Malian capital, Bamako.

Armed movements and militias in Mali

A military statement confirmed that armed terrorist groups carried out the attacks simultaneously, without revealing their identity, while clashes continued for hours in some areas, prompting renewed focus on the armed groups present in Mali.

The most dangerous and widespread jihadist groups in Mali are the main drivers of violence in Mali since 2012. The most prominent of these is Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), affiliated with al-Qaeda, which includes several factions such as Ansar al-Din and Katibat Macina. Its areas of influence are concentrated in central and northern Mali, and it has recently expanded towards the south and west.

Likewise, the Islamic State (ISIS) in the Sahara is present in eastern Mali and engages in intermittent conflicts with the al-Qaeda-affiliated group, Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin.

Also present in Mali is the Tuareg separatist movement seeking independence or autonomy in northern Mali, specifically the Azawad region.

Likewise, the Coordination of Azawad Movements, which are other separatist movements including the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad and the High Council for the Unity of Azawad, are based in northern Mali.

In addition, there are some local militias scattered throughout Mali, including the Self-Defense Group, Dan Na Ambassagou, and the Fulani militias, which are groups that fight each other, and sometimes ally with jihadists or the army.

Mali has faced escalating security challenges since the two military coups in 2020 and 2021, amid continued attacks by extremist groups, which have expanded their operations to include new areas, including targeting fuel supplies, causing severe crises within the capital.

In the same context, the Malian authorities have moved to strengthen their military cooperation with Russia, after reducing their relations with France and Western countries, while reports indicate recent attempts to resume security coordination with the United States, especially in the field of aerial reconnaissance.