Hundreds of supporters of Mali’s ruling military junta gathered at a stadium in the capital, Bamako, on Saturday in a show of solidarity with the country’s transitional authorities as the West African nation faces one of its most serious security crises in years.
The rally came amid growing instability following coordinated attacks last month by armed groups linked to al-Qaeda and Tuareg separatist movements. The violence killed several people, including Mali’s influential Defense Minister, General Sadio Camara, a key figure in the military government that seized power after coups in 2020 and 2021.
Supporters waving Malian flags and chanting patriotic slogans filled the stadium to reaffirm their backing for junta leader Assimi Goïta and the military-led government.
“The death of General Sadio Camara has deeply moved us and has not left us indifferent,” junta supporter Oumar Neïté told local media during the gathering.
“We want to show the whole world that General Sadio may be gone, but there are hundreds of Sadio Camaras here. Mali is not dead, and it never will be,” he added.
The demonstration follows a wave of coordinated assaults launched on April 25 and 26 by the al-Qaeda-linked militant group Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin and the separatist Azawad Liberation Front. The attacks targeted military installations and strategic cities across Mali, including Bamako, Kati, Gao, Mopti and Kidal.
According to reports, militants struck Camara’s residence in the military town of Kati using a suicide car bomb, killing the minister and members of his family. The attacks also targeted military bases, airports and government positions, marking the largest coordinated offensive against Mali’s authorities since 2012.
The armed groups claimed to have seized several towns and military posts from the Malian army and its ally, the Russia-backed Africa Corps, formerly associated with the Wagner mercenary network. Analysts say the alliance between jihadist fighters and Tuareg separatists represents a major challenge for Mali’s military rulers, who had promised to restore security after taking power.
JNIM later announced a blockade of Bamako, setting up roadblocks on major routes into the capital and warning civilians against travel. The blockade has disrupted transport and trade, with reports of stranded travelers and commercial convoys facing attacks on roads leading to the city.
In response to the deteriorating security situation, Goïta assumed the additional role of defense minister after Camara’s death, according to state media. Military authorities also launched investigations and arrests within the armed forces over suspected collaboration with insurgents.
Mali has struggled with extremist violence for more than a decade. Since the junta took power, the country has increasingly shifted away from traditional Western allies such as France and the United Nations, instead deepening military cooperation with Russia.
Despite repeated promises by the military leadership to stabilize the country, the latest attacks have highlighted the persistent insecurity gripping Mali and the wider Sahel region.
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