Mali insurgents strike towns in north and central regions

Tuareg-led insurgents of the Azawad Liberation Front said they attacked the town of Anefis in Mali's northeastern Kidal region, where government troops and Russian paramilitary forces are stationed. Residents in two other localities in northern and central Mali reported hearing gunfire and explosions, and a local official in the central city of Gao said rockets were launched at a military camp before dawn.

The attacks follow a wave of high‑profile rebel actions in April that hit Bamako's airport, killed the defence minister and saw several army bases seized. A government spokesperson did not immediately respond to requests for comment.