Armed groups in Mali attack capital in possible coordinated effort, army says

Gunmen attacked several locations in Mali's capital and other cities early Saturday in a possible coordinated assault, residents and authorities said. Mali's army said in a statement that "unidentified armed terrorist groups targeted certain locations and barracks" in Bamako and that soldiers were "engaged in eliminating the attackers." It said in another statement later the situation was under control. Mali has been plagued by insurgencies fought by affiliates of al Qaeda and the Islamic State group, as well as a separatist rebellion in the north. An Associated Press journalist in Bamako heard sustained heavy weapons and automatic rifle gunfire coming from Modibo Keïta International Airport, around 9 miles from the city center, and saw a helicopter over nearby neighborhoods. The airport is adjacent to an air base used by Mali's air force. A resident living near the airport also reported gunfire and three helicopters patrolling overhead. An aerial view of Bamako, Mali, Saturday, April 25, 2026. AP Residents report gunfire and blasts Residents in other cities in Mali reported gunfire and blasts on Saturday morning, suggesting a possible coordinated attack by armed groups. A resident of Kati, a town near Bamako that is home to Mali's main military base, also said he was woken up early in the morning by the sounds of gunfire and explosions. Gen. Assimi Goita, the leader of Mali's military junta , resides in Kati. …