United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has condemned a wave of terror attacks in Mali, calling for a coordinated international response as violence escalates across the Sahel.
“The Secretary-General is deeply concerned by reports of attacks in several locations across Mali,” his spokesperson said in a statement on Saturday.
Guterres urged “coordinated international support” to confront the growing threat of terrorism and violent extremism in the region, while also addressing urgent humanitarian needs.
The attacks, described by regional officials as among the most complex in recent years, targeted areas around the capital Bamako and other regions, raising fresh concerns over Mali’s deteriorating security situation.
An Al Qaeda-linked group said it had joined forces with rebels to carry out the coordinated assaults, which began at dawn and spread across multiple locations.
Rebels claim Kidal control
Rebels from the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) claimed they had taken full control of the northern city of Kidal following a coordinated operation.
The group said only a small pocket of resistance remained from Malian forces and Russian mercenaries at a former UN MINUSMA base.
Mali’s government confirmed that coordinated attacks struck several cities, injuring at least 16 people, but insisted that security forces had regained control of key areas.
Authorities described the incidents as terror attacks, as violence continues to challenge stability in the country.
The FLA said the operation was carried out in coordination with JNIM, an Al Qaeda-linked group, as part of efforts to expand territorial control in northern Mali.
There was no independent confirmation of the FLA claims.
Mali has faced a deepening security crisis since 2012, with violence from terrorist groups, armed factions and separatist movements killing thousands and displacing large numbers of civilians.
