A combo image shows armed men on motorbikes in Kati, near Bamako, as vehicles pass through the group, in screengrabs from a social media video released on April 25, 2026.
Mali’s deteriorating security could push the country towards alliances it once resisted, analysts say.
On Saturday, armed groups including the al-Qaeda-linked Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) and the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) collaborated in attacks on key cities, with deadly consequences. Targets included the capital, Bamako, as well as Kidal, Sévaré, Mopti and Gao. The assaults killed Defence minister Sadio Camara.
