France Urges Citizens to Depart Mali Following Co-ordinated Attacks and Volatility
France, Mali's former colonial power, has urged its nationals to arrange temporary departure from the West African nation without delay, utilising available commercial flights. The foreign ministry's update on Wednesday described the security environment as "extremely volatile" and strongly discouraged all travel to Mali.
Widespread Attacks Reported
The updated guidance follows a weekend of co-ordinated assaults across the country. Explosions and sustained gunfire were reported in Bamako, the capital, and Kati, which hosts a significant military base. Defence leader Sadio Camara was reportedly killed in Kati during an apparent suicide bombing. In the north, separatist forces seized control of Kidal.
Mali's military leader, General Assimi Goïta, stated publicly on Tuesday evening that the army had delivered a "violent blow" to the attackers and had the security situation under control. However, the French advisory contradicts this assessment.
UK Issues Similar Warnings
The United Kingdom has also counselled against all travel to Mali, advising its citizens currently in the country to "leave immediately by commercial flight if you judge it safe to do so." The UK Foreign Office warned against overland travel to neighbouring countries, deeming it "too dangerous" due to reported "terrorist attacks along national highways." British citizens opting to remain in Mali do so "at your own risk," the advisory stated.
Reports suggest the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA), a separatist group seeking an ethnic Tuareg state, concentrated its efforts on northern cities, while the jihadist group Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) carried out simultaneous attacks across multiple locations.
Security Deterioration Under Junta
Mali is currently under the rule of a military junta led by Goïta, who seized power in 2020. Despite initial popular support for tackling the long-running security crisis, which began with a Tuareg rebellion and was later exploited by Islamist militants, the insurgency has persisted. Following the junta's rise, UN peacekeepers and French forces departed, with the military government subsequently engaging Russian mercenaries. Large swathes of northern and eastern Mali remain outside government control.
