Mali Accuses Its Own Officers of Aiding Jihadis as Insurgents Tighten Noose Around Bamako

Key facts

• Mali's junta accuses military officers of collaborating with jihadis to carry out attacks against the government.
• Al Qaeda-linked insurgents have established checkpoints around Bamako and called on Malians to rise up.
• Islamic militants and separatists attacked multiple locations in Bamako and other cities on Saturday in one of the largest coordinated assaults in recent years.
• Mali's defense chief was killed as jihadis and rebels seized towns and military bases.
• The junta leader met with the Russian ambassador after attacks that the Kremlin described as a coup attempt.
• Mali has suspended French TV channels over alleged false reporting.
• Gold miners are pressing on amid rising conflict, with some turning to self-funded security to protect operations.
• Fuel stations and schools have partially reopened amid a militants' blockade that caused fuel scarcity and school closures.

Insurgents Encircling the Capital

Al Qaeda-linked insurgents have set up checkpoints around Bamako, Mali's capital, and are urging Malians to rise up against the government. The move follows a series of coordinated attacks on Saturday that targeted multiple locations in Bamako and other cities, marking one of the largest escalations in the country's long-running conflict. The military declared later on Saturday that the situation was under control, but the siege has effectively blocked entry to the capital. seeing militants moving freely outside the city, raising fears that the insurgency is tightening its grip.

Junta Accuses Its Own Officers of Treason

Mali's ruling junta has accused military officers of working with jihadis to carry out attacks against the government. The allegation points to deep fractures within the armed forces, which have been struggling to contain the insurgency since the junta seized power in 2020. The accusation comes as the defense chief was killed in recent fighting, and jihadis and rebels have seized towns and military bases across the country. The junta's claim suggests that internal betrayal, not just external pressure, is undermining the state's ability to respond.

Kremlin Denounces Attacks as Coup Attempt

Mali's junta leader met with the Russian ambassador shortly after the attacks, which the Kremlin called a coup attempt. The meeting underscores Mali's deepening reliance on Russian support, including from the Wagner Group mercenaries, as Western influence wanes. Russia's characterization of the attacks as a coup attempt aligns with the junta's narrative of internal subversion, though it remains unclear what evidence supports that claim. The junta has previously expelled French troops and turned to Moscow for security assistance.

Media Crackdown and Fuel Blockade

In a related move, Mali suspended French about the situation. The junta has increasingly clamped down on media freedoms, including the recent arrest of a prominent journalist for criticizing Niger's military leader. Meanwhile, militants have enforced a blockade that caused fuel scarcity, forcing schools to close. Some fuel stations and schools have since reopened, but the blockade continues to disrupt daily life and the economy. Gold miners, a key sector, are pressing on with operations, some hiring private security to protect their sites.

Cultural Resilience Amid Conflict

Despite the violence, cultural life persists. A marionette festival in Bamako recently defied threats from jihadi militants to celebrate local traditions. Giant puppets have brought life to the capital even as fuel shortages bite. In a separate development, Timbuktu's ancient manuscripts have returned home after 13 years in Bamako, where they were safeguarded during the jihadist occupation of the north. The repatriation is a symbol of endurance, but the manuscripts' safety remains precarious as the insurgency spreads.

Outlook: A State Under Siege

Mali now faces a multi-pronged threat: jihadis and separatists coordinating attacks, internal military defections, and a blockade strangling the capital. The junta's response—accusing its own officers, suspending French media, and leaning on Russia—has so far failed to halt the insurgents' advance. The coming weeks will test whether the junta can hold the capital and maintain control over the rest of the country. With the defense chief dead and towns falling, the risk of further escalation is high. The international community watches as Mali's crisis deepens, with no clear path to de-escalation.

The bottom line

• Mali's junta has accused its own military officers of collaborating with jihadis, signaling internal divisions within the armed forces.
• Al Qaeda-linked insurgents have set up checkpoints around Bamako and called for a popular uprising, tightening the siege on the capital.
• Coordinated attacks on Saturday by Islamic militants and separatists were among the largest in years, killing the defense chief and seizing towns.
• The junta met with the Russian ambassador after the Kremlin described the attacks as a coup attempt, highlighting Mali's reliance on Moscow.
• Mali suspended French TV channels and arrested a journalist, escalating a media crackdown amid the security crisis.
• A militants' blockade has caused fuel shortages and school closures, though some services have partially resumed; gold miners are hiring private security to continue operations.