Inside Out

Mali's capital city Bamako - a major West African hub and home to more than three million people - is under a partial blockade by Islamist militants, days after the country's defence minister was assassinated there. Out has emerged this Saturday as one of the stories drawing attention in Pakistan.

Key facts

• Mali's capital city Bamako - a major West African hub and home to more than three million people - is under a partial blockade by Islamist militants, days after the country's defence minister was assassinated there.
• JNIM and Tuareg separatists continue their attacks against Mali's military government.
• Al-Qaeda-linked rebel fighters have reportedly set up checkpoints around Mali’s capital, Bamako, and seized the town of Tessalit in the north.
• Media outlets close to the Azawad armed movement, which seeks the independence of northern Mali, said the scenes show fighters in control of the base following the withdrawal of elements of the army and Russia’s African Corps, according to their description.
• Russia’s African Corps said in a statement that the JNIM statement about the abandonment of the Hombori base was “not true”.

What we know

Going deeper, JNIM and Tuareg separatists continue their attacks against Mali's military government.

On the substance, Al-Qaeda-linked rebel fighters have reportedly set up checkpoints around Mali’s capital, Bamako, and seized the town of Tessalit in the north.

Beyond the headlines, Media outlets close to the Azawad armed movement, which seeks the independence of northern Mali, said the scenes show fighters in control of the base following the withdrawal of elements of the army and Russia’s African Corps, according to their description.

More precisely, Russia’s African Corps said in a statement that the JNIM statement about the abandonment of the Hombori base was “not true”.

It is worth noting that list 1 of 3‘We saw terrible things’: Mali refugees tell of atrocities amid attacks.

By the numbers

At this stage, list 3 of 3Mali’s Tuareg rebels say Russian fighters must withdraw from country.

On a related note, Mali’s military leaders seized power in coups in 2020 and 2021, with a brief period of civilian rule in between.

Going deeper, Last weekend saw nationwide, coordinated attacks by an alliance of jihadists and separatist rebels in the north - the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) - seeking to overthrow the military regime of Gen Assimi Goïta, who seized power in a coup in 2020.

On the substance, He was buried on Thursday amid tight security in front of thousands of people, including Goïta, reports the AFP news agency.

What they're saying

“That’s a big development,” Haque said. “It seems that Malian forces are not even putting up a fight up north.”

The wider context

On a related note, the blockade comes days after Mali's defence minister was assassinated in a series of nationwide attacks.

Going deeper, our army isn't capable of protecting us, how are we going to get back home?" a mother-of-two told the BBC, unable to re-enter Bamako after visiting her parents out of town.

On the substance, She and many others have been stranded on the Bamako-Kéniéba highway, a major road out of the capital for almost a day.

Beyond the headlines, Eyewitnesses told the BBC that at least three of the six main routes into the city are now closed for hours at a time before the fighters move elsewhere.

More precisely, Russian paramilitary carried out air strikes in Mali as rebels advanced, footage shows.

The bottom line

• The blockade comes days after Mali's defence minister was assassinated in a series of nationwide attacks.
• Our army isn't capable of protecting us, how are we going to get back home?" a mother-of-two told the BBC, unable to re-enter Bamako after visiting her parents out of town.
• ‎A total blockade has been imposed on Ségou, a town less than 80m (50 miles) from the capital, leaving hundreds of vehicles, trucks, buses and cars, stranded.