Mali's defense minister killed as army battles jihadists and Tuareg separatists

Malian Defense Minister Colonel Sadio Camara, 47, was killed in an attack by the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims JNIM on his residence in Kati. The Malian army is engaged in ongoing fighting against jihadists allied with Tuareg separatists near the capital and in the northern part of the country. These coordinated attacks, which also targeted the international airport in Bamako and military sites in Kati, are unprecedented since the junta took power in 2020. The government reported 16 civilian and military injuries and limited material damage from Saturday's attacks. General Assimi Goïta, head of the junta, has not been seen or heard from since the hostilities began, though a Malian security source stated he was evacuated from Kati to a safe location. In Kidal, rebels and the army, supported by Russian mercenaries, resumed fighting on Sunday. The Front for the Liberation of Azawad FLA, a separatist group, claimed control of Kidal and announced an agreement for Russian soldiers from Africa Corps to withdraw. Kidal was retaken by the Malian army with Wagner now Africa Corps support in November 2023. The JNIM claimed responsibility for the coordinated assaults, stating they were the result of hard work and coordination with partners, including the FLA.