Bamako, Mali – The whereabouts of Mali’s military junta leaders remain unknown following coordinated attacks on military installations in the capital, Bamako, carried out by armed groups linked to Al-Qaeda.
Unconfirmed reports suggest President Assimi Goïta may have been wounded or evacuated from the country, though neither the government nor military officials have issued any statement.
The assault, which was claimed by the Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), also killed Mali’s Defence Minister, General Sadio Camara.
According to the independent newspaper Nouvel Horizon, a power struggle may be underway within the junta, with efforts reportedly being made to install General Malick Diaw as an interim leader.
Senior figures who remain unaccounted for include President Goïta, his security adviser General Modibo Kone, and Interior Security Minister General Ismaël Wagué.
The attacks mark a significant escalation in the country’s long-running security crisis and raise serious questions about the stability of the ruling military government.