Africa-Press. The Malian Foreign Minister, Abdoulaye Diop, stated that the coordinated attacks that occurred on April 25 were part of a broader effort to destabilize the country and overthrow its transitional leadership. He accused unnamed foreign sponsors of supporting armed groups operating in the north.
Diop noted that “the attacks targeted strategic figures and institutions in the state, including the residence of transitional President Assimi Goita in Kati, and the home of the late Defense Minister Sadio Kamara,” explaining that “what happened on April 25 aimed at nothing less than decapitating the leadership of the country. Mali will not submit.”
He added that the attacks were “complex, coordinated, and planned with internal and external sponsors,” and pointed out that “armed groups in northern Mali have allied with terrorist organizations.” Diop also accused Ukraine of having “publicly announced logistical support for terrorism operating in the Sahel region,” describing the conflict as a “hybrid war” waged by proxy against Mali and the “Sahel Alliance.”
Diop confirmed that “Mali will not negotiate with terrorist armed groups, especially those allied with the Azawad Liberation Front,” adding that the authorities remain open to accepting repentant fighters wishing to return to the “republican framework.”
The minister stated that additional security measures have been deployed nationwide, including around diplomatic missions, and confirmed that the judicial investigation initiated by the military court in Bamako on May 1 is still ongoing.
Casualties Including Civilians in Armed Attacks Amid Increasing Security Deterioration
In another context, around 50 people, including civilians and members of pro-government groups, were killed in attacks carried out by militants linked to al-Qaeda on two villages in central Mali.
The attacks targeted two villages in the Mopti region at night, where militants stormed the towns and attacked pro-government self-defense groups alongside civilian populations.
These attacks come amid an unprecedented escalation in Mali since the assault by groups linked to al-Qaeda and separatist factions on April 25, which targeted military bases and strategic sites near the capital Bamako and in the north of the country.
