Mali rebel attacks strike five towns, including Russian‑linked base

Armed groups launched coordinated attacks on five locations in Mali over the weekend, the army said. The assaults hit a northern town where Malian troops and Russian fighters are stationed and a site south of the capital Bamako, beginning around 05:00 local time (07:00 CET). The attacks came more than two months after a major raid on Bamako and are part of the ongoing insurgency that involves al‑Qaeda, IS‑linked militants and separatist forces in the north.

The violence follows a coup that placed a military‑led government in power. In April, rebels attacked Bamako’s airport, killed the defence minister and seized several army bases in the north, underscoring the fragile security situation.