The Mali army has rejected an attack in the capital city of Bamako

Mali declared on Tuesday that its capital Bamako was under control following an early morning assault by rebels on a gendarmerie training facility and other locations, resulting in pervasive gunfire throughout the city.

Tensions permeated the metropolis after the attack, as vigilante factions of young people diligently patrolled the streets.

Reuters observed the charred remains of a single decomposed body. Proximity residents reported that the individual in question was a vendor of cigarettes, who had been deliberately ignited by young individuals because to his possession of a bullet belt, so raising suspicions about his involvement in an assault.

The authorities did not pinpoint the responsible party for the pre-dawn assaults on key locations in Bamako. However, this incident was an exceptional occurrence of turmoil reaching the city following prolonged military hostilities in the outskirts between government forces and Islamist insurgents.

“Earlier today, a cohort of terrorists made an attempt to breach the premises of the Faladie gendarmerie school.” “Implementation of mopping-up operations is now underway,” the army added.

According to the military administration, certain vulnerable areas of the capital, such as the training school in Faladie, a region located on the southern outskirts of Bamako near the main international airport, have been intentionally targeted.

Preceding dawn, Reuters detected gunfire emanating from the Banankabougou suburb in close proximity to Faladie. As gunfire erupted, many en route to the mosque for morning prayers abandoned their plans.

Unidentified police officials reported gunshots in the vicinity of the airport and a nearby military installation. A security source reported the presence of gunfire in multiple residential areas, including those in close proximity to the primary airport.

The military administration announced that the army successfully repelled the assailants and encouraged citizens to resume their regular activities. The army declared that the capital was under secure management.

One video circulating on social media depicted men dressed in civilian attire apprehending two young boys and compelling them to lie on the ground. Reuters was unable to verify the authenticity of the video.

The transportation ministry issued a statement stating that access to the airport was temporarily limited in order to prevent any potential hazards. Patrons were advised to maintain their composure. One airport staffer confirmed over the phone that all individuals were being confined within the premises following the cessation of firing.

Enduring Insurgency

Unidentified security agent stated that the attack commenced at approximately 0300 GMT. His suspicion was that the assailants had exploited a Muslim festival on Monday, which attracted a large number of believers to penetrate the city.

Mali is among the West African nations engaged in combating an Islamist insurgency that originated in the desert northern region of Mali in 2012 and has subsequently expanded to the Sahel region and, more recently, to the northern borders of coastal countries.

Amidst the invasion by militants, some of whom have affiliations with al Qaeda and Islamic State, and military attempts to repel them, thousands have lost their lives and millions have been forced to leave the area. Both governments and combatants have faced allegations of engaging in acts of violence against non-combatants.

Instigated by dissatisfaction with the authorities’ inability to reinstate security, two coups occurred in Mali in 2020 and 2021, followed by two in the neighboring country of Burkina Faso and one in Niger.

Nevertheless, Islamist attacks have intensified despite the juntas’ commitments to enhance security, partly by substituting partnerships with Western nations with Russian backing, which includes mercenaries from Russia’s Wagner private army.

Veteran Wagner soldiers were fatally wounded in late July during a conflict at the Algerian border between Tuareg insurgents and the Malian army, which suffered significant casualties and was surprise attack by jihadists as it retreated.

Seldom do insurgents launch attacks inside the capital. During the previous significant incident in Bamako, which occurred in 2015, armed individuals initiated a dawn raid on the Radisson Blu hotel resulting in the deaths of 20 individuals.