Mali defence minister Sadio Camara killed in major militant assault near Capital

Sadio Camara, Mali’s defence minister and a central figure in the country’s military leadership, has been killed in an attack by suspected Islamist militants on his residence near the main army base outside Bamako. 

According to Reuters, the attack took place on Saturday in Kati, a key garrison town about 15 kilometres from the capital. France’s RFI radio and relatives cited by Reuters confirmed his death, though Malian authorities have yet to issue an official public statement.

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A relative told Reuters that the minister had been killed, while a Malian journalist believed to be his brother-in-law also announced his death in a Facebook post.

The assault was part of a broader and highly coordinated offensive by Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin, an al-Qaeda-linked group active across the Sahel. Analysts and diplomats described it as one of the most significant attacks in Mali in recent years, reportedly carried out in cooperation with a Tuareg-dominated rebel faction.

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Gunfire was still heard in Kati on Sunday morning, a Reuters witness said, as Malian forces launched operations to repel the attackers. The army said fighting was continuing in several areas.

Officials from Mali’s defence ministry and the government did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

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Camara’s killing is likely to send shockwaves through Mali’s ruling military leadership. Assimi Goita, who took power in coups in 2020 and 2021, has relied heavily on figures like Camara to shape the country’s security and foreign alliances.

“As a key figure within the junta and a central architect of the Mali-Russia rapprochement, his removal underscores JNIM’s capacity to strike at the core of state power,” said Djenabou Cisse, an associate fellow at the Foundation for Strategic Research, according to Reuters.
The United Nations condemned the wave of attacks. “The Secretary General is deeply concerned by reports of attacks in several locations across Mali. He strongly condemns these acts of violence,” a UN spokesperson said in a statement posted on X.

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Mali has battled a growing insurgency linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State groups for over a decade, with violence spreading across the Sahel despite sustained military campaigns.