A Tuareg-led insurgent group launched attacks across northern and central Mali on Saturday, targeting locations where government troops and Russian paramilitary forces are stationed. The Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) claimed responsibility for an assault on the town of Anefis in the northeastern Kidal region, which had seen the deployment of government and Russian troops following attacks in April.
The Malian army reported that several towns were targeted, including the major cities of Gao and Sévaré. In Gao, local officials reported gunfire and rockets launched at a military camp before dawn. The army further stated that insurgents staged attacks in five different locations, including a prison in Kenieroba.
These latest assaults come more than two months after the country's defence minister was killed. In April, rebels staged high-profile attacks that hit the airport in the capital, Bamako, and seized a string of army bases in the north. Mali continues to face various insurgencies, including a separatist rebellion in the north and militants affiliated with al-Qaida and the Islamic State.