‎Coordinated attacks rock Mali, gunfire heard near Bamako airport

‎BAMAKO, Mali, April 25 (Reuters) — Coordinated attacks by armed groups struck multiple military positions across Mali on Saturday, including sites near the capital Bamako, with heavy gunfire and explosions reported near the country’s main military base and airport, authorities and witnesses said.
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‎Mali’s army said “terrorist” groups launched simultaneous assaults on several military installations in the capital and in other parts of the country, prompting a broad security response.
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‎ Authorities later said the situation was under control in some areas, though operations against the attackers were continuing.
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‎Residents in Bamako reported sustained gunfire and at least two explosions near Kati, a garrison town outside the capital that hosts one of Mali’s most important military camps. Witnesses also reported gunfire near Modibo Keïta International Airport, where security forces and helicopters were seen operating overhead.
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‎Attacks were also reported in northern and central cities including Gao and Kidal, suggesting one of the broadest coordinated offensives in Mali in years.
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‎ There was no immediate official casualty toll. No group immediately claimed responsibility, though suspicion fell on armed groups linked to al Qaeda as well as northern separatist factions, which have battled Malian forces for years.
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‎The U.S. Embassy in Bamako issued a security alert urging citizens to shelter in place, while local authorities called on residents to remain calm and rely on official information.
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‎Saturday’s violence marks a sharp escalation in Mali’s long-running conflict, where military authorities have struggled to contain insurgent attacks despite repeated security operations.
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‎Mali, along with neighboring Burkina Faso and Niger, has faced worsening instability fueled by jihadist violence and separatist rebellions since 2012.