Bamako, the capital of Mali, was rocked by violence early Tuesday morning as unidentified gunmen attacked a military police base. The assault, which began around 5:00 a.m., was marked by intense gunfire and explosions. Black smoke was seen rising near the Bamako airport, which has been temporarily closed in response to the attack.
A police source confirmed the assault on at least one military police base, but the attackers’ identities remain unknown. The violence led to significant disruptions in the area, including the closure of the airport and the French high school Liberte, which announced it would remain shut “due to external events.”
Witnesses, including those trapped in a nearby mosque during early morning prayers, reported the chaos. The United Nations mission in Mali has advised its staff to “limit their movements until further notice.”
Mali has been under the control of a military junta following coups in 2020 and 2021. The junta, led by Colonel Assimi Goita, has shifted Mali’s alliances from European partners and former colonial power France to Russia and its Wagner mercenary group. The junta’s offensive against rebels in the north has been accompanied by allegations of civilian abuses, which the military and its Russian allies deny.
