Al-Qaeda militants have killed Mali's defense minister — Al Jazeera

Mali's Defense Minister, General Sadio Camara, was killed in a coordinated attack on military facilities in the country.

Al Jazeera reports this.

According to sources, Kamara’s residence in the garrison town of Kati, near the capital Bamako, was attacked using a car bomb.

The attack was carried out by militants from the group “Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin,” linked to Al-Qaeda, along with Tuareg rebels.

Kamara was considered one of the key figures in Mali’s military leadership following the coups of 2020 and 2021. His death is being described as a serious blow to the country’s armed forces.

According to media reports, the attacks occurred simultaneously in several regions, including Bamako, Gao, Kidal, and Sevare. Fighting continued in some areas.

Interim President Assimi Goïta was evacuated to a safe location and was unharmed.

International partners, including the African Union and the United States, condemned the attacks.

As a reminder, in Mali, armed groups simultaneously attacked military facilities in the capital, Bamako, and several other cities across the country, leading to fighting, explosions, and panic among military personnel and civilians. The attacks appeared to be coordinated and affected several regions at once.

In central Mali, near the city of Nampala, more than ten Malian soldiers and Russian mercenaries were killed in a premeditated ambush.