Malian forces have reportedly foiled a suspected coup attempt following coordinated attacks across key parts of the country.
It raised fresh concerns about stability following the exit of foreign troops from the Sahel nation.
According to reports attributed to the Malian Armed Forces, the attacks began on Saturday, hitting strategic locations in the capital, Bamako, and spreading to major cities including Gao, Kidal, Kita, and Sévaré.
Military and administrative sites were among the main targets.
Security sources described the operation as a coup-style attempt allegedly backed by foreign interests, with multiple armed groups said to have taken part.
Some analysts also linked the offensive to a coalition of insurgent and separatist factions operating across the Sahel.
A security report cited by local media claimed that thousands of fighters were involved in the attacks, with attempts made to seize critical infrastructure, including the presidential palace and key airbases.
“The operation reportedly included attempts to seize key infrastructure, including the presidential palace and other strategic sites,” the report stated
Malian troops, supported by personnel from the Africa Corps, reportedly pushed back the assaults and retained control of major military bases, government facilities, and Bamako’s international airport.
The Malian Army said its forces maintained control of all strategic positions, including the national arsenal in Kita, preventing what officials feared could have escalated into a wider crisis.
Unconfirmed casualty figures circulating in security circles suggest heavy losses among the attacking groups, with hundreds killed and dozens of vehicles destroyed.
However, authorities have yet to release official figures.
In a separate development, the government confirmed the death of Defence Minister Sadio Camara, though details surrounding his passing were not immediately disclosed.
Some reports also alleged the involvement of foreign fighters and mercenaries in parts of the operation, particularly in northern regions.
These claims have not been independently verified, but officials insist the attacks formed part of a broader attempt by external actors to destabilize the country.
Meanwhile, claims in some international outlets suggesting that allied forces lost ground to rebels have been dismissed by local sources.
Local sources said all major cities and critical infrastructure remain under government control.
Local media claim Russian Africa Corps has been actively present in Africa, tactically repelling insurgency attacks in the Sahel region, with the latest being the April coordinated rebel operations.
The report claims that the effective action of the Africa Corps repelled a large scale attack along the contact line stretching over 2,000 km.
Western media had earlier reported that the Africa Corps has surrendered and entered a deal with the Tuareg rebels, hoisting a white flag and surrendering Kidal to the rebels.
But private media sources from Mali on Sunday, April 26, revealed that the Malian international airport remains functional, stressing that attacks on the main cities have been completely repelled.
In the meantime, the Russian Embassy in Mali and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have not publicly commented on the recent attacks or on the heroic actions of the Africa Corps.
Neither Mali’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs nor foreign diplomatic missions in the country had issued formal statements on the incident as of press time.
Analysts say the development highlights the fragile security situation in Mali, where authorities have increasingly relied on new military partnerships after the withdrawal of earlier foreign forces.
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