Rebel checkpoints reported around Mali’s capital, northern town seized
Al Jazeera • • world
Key Points:
- Al-Qaeda-linked group Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) has established checkpoints around Mali’s capital, Bamako, and seized the northern town of Tessalit, calling on Malians to overthrow the military junta and implement Islamic law.
- The capture of Tessalit follows attacks by JNIM and Tuareg separatists from the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA), which recently killed Mali’s defence minister, Sadio Camara.
- Videos verified by Reuters show armed fighters controlling the Amachach base in Tessalit and raising the FLA flag, with reports indicating the withdrawal of Malian army and Russian forces from the area.
- Russia, a key backer of Mali’s military government, disputes claims of losing the Hombori base and states it continues to support Malian forces with supplies and evacuations amid ongoing rebel activities.
- Analysts highlight the surprising lack of resistance from Malian military forces, with four major northern military camps now reportedly under rebel control, marking a significant shift in the country’s security landscape.
