A wave of coordinated attacks across Mali has left the country reeling, with Defence Minister Sadio Camara confirmed dead after his residence was targeted.
According to government spokesman Issa Ousmane Coulibaly, a suicide bomber rammed a vehicle packed with explosives into the minister’s home in Kati, sparking a prolonged exchange of gunfire. Camara sustained injuries during the assault and later died in hospital.
The attack formed part of a wider offensive that struck multiple military and civilian locations, including the capital, Bamako.
The United Nations has since raised alarm over the surge in violence, calling for a stronger global response to worsening insecurity and terrorist activity in the Sahel region.
Earlier, the Malian military disclosed that armed groups had launched simultaneous strikes on several bases nationwide. Reports from local sources detailed heavy explosions and gun battles in strategic areas such as the Kati military camp, around Modibo Keita International Airport, and in key cities including Kidal, Gao, and Ségou.
Mali has struggled with persistent unrest since 2012, as insurgent factions, bandits, and criminal networks continue to destabilise the country, with the violence also spilling into neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger.
