Gunfire Shakes Mali Districts Including Junta Stronghold
Last update: April 25, 2026
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Clashes reported across country as security concerns persist under military rule.
Gunfire was reported in several districts of Mali on Saturday, including Kati, the hometown of military ruler General Assimi Goita, according to witnesses and a security source.
Fighting was also heard in the northern cities of Gao and Kidal, as well as Sevare in central Mali, in a country that has faced more than a decade of conflict involving jihadist groups.
The military government, which took power in coups in 2020 and 2021, did not immediately comment and no group claimed responsibility for the incidents.
Helicopters were seen flying over Bamako, including around the international airport, according to reporters.
Mali, rich in gold and other natural resources, has struggled with insecurity since 2012 due to attacks by jihadist groups linked to Al Qaeda and the Islamic State group, along with criminal networks and separatist factions.
The ruling military authorities, like those in neighbouring Niger and Burkina Faso, have cut ties with former colonial power France and other Western countries, strengthening political and military relations with Russia.
Efforts have been made by the United States to engage with the three Sahel juntas, while Togo has acted as a mediator between Western nations and the countries, which have formed the Alliance of Sahel States.
Thousands have been killed in the conflict, and tens of thousands have fled to neighbouring countries, including Mauritania.
Russian fighters from the Wagner Group, deployed since 2021 to support Malian forces, ended their mission in June 2025 and transitioned into the Africa Corps under the Russian defence ministry.
The junta has tightened control internally, dissolving political parties and cracking down on dissent.
Although it had pledged a return to civilian rule by March 2024, the military extended Goita’s leadership in July 2025, granting him a renewable five year presidential term without elections.
Jihadist fighters from the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims have targeted fuel convoys since September, causing major disruptions in Bamako, including a severe fuel crisis in October.
While the situation had stabilised in recent months, residents again faced diesel shortages in March, with supplies prioritised for electricity generation.
