Russian forces helped Bamako quell coordinated attacks by militants on key cities and military bases
Mali’s defense minister, General Sadio Camara, has died from injuries he sustained after a gunfight with militants following a suicide car bomb attack targeting his residence during a wave of coordinated terrorist attacks in the West African country, the transitional government has confirmed.
Camara, who served as minister of state, minister of defense and veterans affairs, died from injuries sustained during Saturday’s attack at his home in Kati, a bastion town near the capital, Bamako. The government said his residence was hit by a bomb planted in a car driven by a suicide bomber, after which Camara exchanged fire with the attackers. “neutral” some of them before they were injured.
The attack caused part of a residence to collapse, killing or injuring others nearby and destroying a mosque where worshipers were inside, according to the government. statement.
Mali suffered one of its worst security incidents in years on Saturday, with near-simultaneous attacks reported in Bamako, Kati, Gao, Sevare and Kidal. Al-Qaeda’s Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin, or JNIM, and the Tuareg-owned Azawad Liberation Front, or FLA, claimed responsibility for the coordinated raid, which targeted military sites, key infrastructure, and senior leadership positions.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said “initial data” indicates the possibility of involvement of Western security agencies in training the attackers. Earlier this year, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accused France “Attempt to overthrow unwanted national governments” in the Sahara-Sahel using “terrorist groups” and “colonial tactics.”
Russia has a military presence in the West African country, which has faced terror threats for years despite decades of French military presence. Mali expelled French forces in 2022, followed later by Burkina Faso and Niger, accusing Paris of providing direct support to terrorists.
The Africa Corps, which operates under Russia’s Defense Ministry, said it helped thwart the coup over the weekend. It said it provided air support along a 2,000-kilometer front line, preventing the capture of key facilities, including the presidential palace in Bamako. According to the unit, more than 1,000 fighters were killed, and more than 100 vehicles were destroyed.
General Camara was one of the most influential figures in Mali’s ruling security establishment and the main architect of Bamako’s secession from the French-led security partnership. Authorities said he will receive a state funeral.
