Rebel Alliance Seizes Ground as Mali Investigates Army Betrayal

Mali’s ruling junta faces mounting pressure after separatist and jihadi fighters captured the Tessalit military camp, following the earlier loss of Kidal and the killing of Defense Minister Sadio Camara. Authorities say some Malian officers colluded with the attackers, providing planning and coordination support. The Azawad Liberation Front and al‑Qaida‑linked JNIM launched near‑simultaneous strikes on Bamako’s airport and other towns, with militants blocking roads into the capital. Prosecutors allege complicity by dismissed officers and politicians, including Oumar Mariko. The developments highlight fractures within Mali’s military, already strained by reliance on Russian allies. Junta leader Assimi Goita pledged to sustain aerial and ground offensives, but the scale of the attacks underscores the country’s vulnerability in the wider Sahel conflict.

Source: Newstimehub