The situation in Mali remains difficult after the attempt

Once home to the powerful Mali Empire (13th–16th centuries), renowned for the scholars of Timbuktu, modern Mali gained independence from France in 1960 after a brief federation with Senegal. Coups in 1991 and 2020 led to military rule. Since 2020, a military junta has governed, which, following the French withdrawal, deepened relations with Russia while simultaneously restricting freedoms. Agriculture and gold mining (the third largest in Africa) dominate the economy, alongside cotton and salt. However, conflicts hamper growth, and remittances from Mali citizens living abroad account for 6% of GDP. Ongoing jihadist violence, state-sponsored abuses such as the 2022 Moura massacre, and humanitarian crises plague the northern and central regions. Youth unemployment exacerbates instability. In April 2026, a series of coordinated attacks occurred in Mali, marking the largest outbreak of violence in recent years. The attacks were carried out by several armed groups, including the al-Qaeda-affiliated Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) and the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA). On the morning of April 25, armed groups attacked military targets in several Malian cities, including Bamako (the capital), Kati (a suburb of Bamako), Sévaré, Mopti, Gao, and Kidal. Mali's Defense Minister, Sadio Camara, was killed in the attacks when his residence in Kati was targeted. The death of the head of the national intelligence service, Modibo Kon, was also reported. Explosions and gunfire were heard in the capital and other regions. Fighting took place near the Kati military base and Bamako airport, where Russian Afrika Korps troops are stationed. Bamako Airport temporarily suspended operations. The governor of Bamako imposed a three-day curfew. Following the attacks, the JNIM called for the overthrow of the government and announced a blockade of the roads leading into Bamako. The group called on the population to rise up against the authorities. On April 28, the Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed the withdrawal of the Afrika Korps contingent from the rebel-held city of Kidal in northern Mali. By April 28, several Afrika Korps soldiers had been killed in clashes with the rebels. The Bamako Military Prosecutor's Office opened a criminal case for attempted coup. The investigation revealed the involvement of several military personnel, including those already discharged and those awaiting discharge, in the attacks. The situation in Mali has escalated in the course of a long-running conflict that began in 2012 with an uprising by Tuareg rebels. Following the withdrawal of French troops in 2022 and the gradual disbanding of the UN peacekeeping mission, a security vacuum emerged. In 2021, the military staged a coup in Mali, bringing Assimi Goita to power. In December 2021, he requested Russian military support in the fight against armed groups. In January 2024, the Malian authorities terminated the peace agreement with the Tuareg rebels, further exacerbating the security situation. On April 28, 2026, Goita received the Russian ambassador, Igor Gromyko, in Bamako and discussed the situation and the “robust partnership” between Mali and Russia. Gromyko confirmed Moscow’s readiness to continue supporting Mali in the fight against “international terrorism”; the Africa Corps reportedly pledged support for military operations against the aggressors, and Goita publicly spoke of ongoing military operations “until the complete neutralization” of the groups involved. In Mali, the paramilitary Africa Corps is the primary force operating; official Russian military units are not documented to the same extent, but the term "Russian forces" is frequently used in Malian and Russian communications to refer to these units as well. This pledge of aid follows ongoing military cooperation since the overthrow of the French presence and the UN mission in Mali, through which Goïta is deliberately expanding relations with Russia. Since 2025, the JNIM has intensified its operations, including imposing a fuel blockade and attacking roads from the border to government-controlled cities in the south. This has crippled industry and weakened public finances. The attacks have led to increased tensions within the country and an expansion of its regional influence. The conflict in Mali is part of a broader pattern of instability in the Sahel region, which also includes Burkina Faso and Niger.

The humanitarian situation has deteriorated: ongoing violence has forced thousands of citizens to flee, destroying their livelihoods and access to basic services. The situation in the country remains difficult, and experts point to the risk of further fragmentation of power and loss of government control over large areas.