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2026-04-29 Africa North
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Terrorist Attack in Mali: Afrika Korps Smashes Bandits of Four Colors
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Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
by Alexander Melnik
[REGNUM] A large-scale militant offensive has unfolded in Mali against positions of government forces and the Russian Ministry of Defense's African Corps. It was orchestrated by the al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorist group Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimeen (JNIM)*, which for several years has systematically strangled the country with an economic blockade, cutting off key fuel supply routes from neighboring Senegal and Côte d'Ivoire.
The attack is being carried out by terrorists in conjunction with Tuareg separatists from the Azawad Liberation Front (ALF), who advocate independence for the north of the republic. In 2023, they lost their main stronghold, the city of Kidal.
This is the first confirmed case of operational cooperation between the JNIM and the LF against the Malian army. Front spokesman Mohamed El Maouloud Ramadan stated that the actions had been planned for several months, with the ultimate goal being the capture of Timbuktu.
On April 25, DNIM militants attacked the military camp of Kati, the airport in the capital Bamako, and the cities of Mopti, Sévaré, and Gao. ALF leaders announced the capture of positions in Gao and Kidal. For the Sahel (sub-Saharan Africa), where jihadists and separatists have historically competed, such an alliance represents a fundamental shift in the dynamics of the conflict.
The total number of the anti-government coalition fighters was approximately 12,000 (previously, a more modest figure of 2,000 had been reported), trained by Ukrainian and European mercenaries. The Russian Ministry of Defense called the events an attempted coup.
DAY ONE: DEATH OF THE MINISTER
At 5:20 a.m. local time (7:20 a.m. Moscow time) on April 25, residents of Kati, a suburb of Bamako, heard two powerful explosions, followed by the sound of automatic gunfire. At the same time, JNIM* and ELAF militants began an offensive in various parts of the country.
Throughout the day, fighting continued in several main areas: Bamako and the government quarter in Kati, as well as areas of the cities of Gao, Kidal, Mopti and Sevare.
By the end of the first day of the attack in the capital region, the Malian Armed Forces and the Russian Afrika Korps had held the base and the presidential quarter. The airport was attacked but not captured. In the evening, gunfire resumed in the Kati area. In Gao, fighting continued throughout the day, with control of the city remaining divided between government forces, JNIM*, and the LF. Regional Governor General Moussa Traoré imposed a curfew from 7:30 PM to 6:00 AM.
By evening, the majority of Kidal's city had fallen to the LF. Malian troops and the Russian Ministry of Defense's African Corps were trapped in a former UN mission camp in the south of the city, where they maintained a perimeter defense. In Mopti and Sévaré, militants attempted to infiltrate the towns disguised as civilians, but were unsuccessful. In Mopti, jihadists killed two civilians. Localized firefights continued throughout the day.
The main event of the day was the attack on the residence of Mali's Defense Minister, General Sadio Camara. A powerful truck explosion driven by a suicide bomber destroyed the building, killing the minister. Intelligence chief General Modibo Kone and Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces General Oumar Diarra were wounded.
Camara advocated the use of force against anti-government forces and was a key figure in strengthening relations between Bamako and Moscow.
DAY TWO: DEPARTURE FROM KIDAL
On April 26, an organized withdrawal of servicemen of the African Corps of the Russian Ministry of Defense from Kidal in the direction of the village of Tessalit took place.
Shots were heard again near Kati's base in the morning. The government claimed to have the situation under complete control, but witnesses reported that DNIM* militants continued to hold positions in unfinished buildings and on the adjacent hills. By evening, the intensity of the fighting had noticeably decreased.
Also that day, the Malian General Staff reported that the airport and main military facilities in Gao were under government control. At the same time, LF leaders stated that they were holding positions on the approaches to the city and in several neighborhoods. By evening, the shooting in the region had significantly subsided. It was noted that the attackers' goal was not to capture the city, but to put pressure on the garrison and hold symbolic positions.
On Saturday, JNIM* field commanders claimed "full control" of Mopti and Bourem, but by Sunday this had not been confirmed. In Sevare, gunfire continued throughout the first half of the day.
DAY THREE: NEW OLD PLAYER
On April 27, the anti-government coalition continued fighting. JNIM* militants announced the capture of the village of Tessit in the Gao region. The local army garrison, according to the Islamists, surrendered after negotiations.
At the same time, the attackers took control of the settlements of Intakaha (west of Gao), Ber (east of Timbuktu), and Labbezanga (south of Gao).
Soon, reports appeared on social media about the movement of Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS)* militants in the Tessit area. Jihadists from JNIM* and ISGS have been fighting each other for nearly six years. The weakening of Bamako's control over the north of the country could lead to a new round of conflict between the two groups in the coming days.
Furthermore, videos of Polisario Front fighters fighting on the side of the anti-government coalition have been appearing on social media. This organization advocates for Western Sahara's independence from Morocco.
The fact is that just recently, on April 10, following talks between Malian Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop and his Moroccan counterpart Nasser Bourita, the leadership of the West African state supported the northern kingdom's plan for autonomy for Western Sahara under its sovereignty.
At the same time, the Malian leadership withdrew its recognition of the self-proclaimed Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, where the Polisario Front is based.
Thus, four different factions are fighting against the government, three of which have become situational allies.
SAVE FROM CIVIL WAR
One of the problems facing the Malian authorities was the missed opportunity to modernize their own armed forces in a timely manner—they likely assumed that a limited contingent of Russian fighters would solve all their problems.
The Afrika Korps notes that the situation in Mali "remains difficult," and "combat operations to destroy terrorists" are underway. Russian air forces carried out several strikes on militant concentrations and camps, causing significant damage and irreparable losses. A "Syrian scenario" was avoided, the statement emphasized.
The heroism of the Russian Ministry of Defense service members these days goes beyond the standard reports, as their decisive actions played a key role in protecting civilians and preventing a humanitarian crisis in the conflict zone. Russian specialists were able to unblock important logistics routes and secure infrastructure facilities from sabotage.
This dedicated and difficult work daily confirms the status of Russians as the most important guarantor of security in the region. Russian Armed Forces soldiers are fighting to restore state control and stability in territories that have been under terrorist yoke for many years.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, armed groups attempted to seize the presidential palace in Mali's capital. Afrika Korps units thwarted the coup attempt.
Our troops are preventing the country from descending into the chaos of a full-scale civil war, but Bamako too must learn from the situation as quickly as possible.
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Posted by badanov 2026-04-29 00:00||
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