Mali in a state of insecurity:the president of Mali Goïta evacuated, Defense Minister killed

Rebel attacks hit Mali

The situation in Mali continues to deteriorate after armed groups launched attacks in various parts of the country, including the capital Bamako. The Malian military announced on the night of April 25, 2026 that operations to drive out the militants were ongoing, with some fleeing. The fighting was most intense in Kati, where many of the fighters come from, as well as in Gao, Sevare and Mopti.

Aljazeera reported on April 26, 2026, that Mali's Defense Minister, Gen. Sadio Camara, was killed at his home in Kati after a series of attacks by al Qaeda and Tuareg fighters since Saturday. Camara was one of the senior military figures involved in the 2020 and 2021 coups that overthrew President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta, and served as a prince in President Assimi Goïta's military regime.

The latest news is that President Assimi Goïta has been evacuated to a Malian special forces camp, while gunfire continues to be heard in Kidal on April 26, 2026. These attacks indicate that security in Mali remains very low despite the military regime's stated aim to maintain control of the country.

Fighters from the *Azawad Liberation Front (ALF), which seeks Tuareg independence, have attacked northern towns such as Kidal. On the other hand, the Islamist group *Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), which is affiliated with al Qaeda, has carried out attacks elsewhere in the country. This has increased fear among the population and the authorities.

Mali has long been battling West African rebel groups, including al Qaeda and the Islamic State in the Sahel region. The military junta has broken with France and ECOWAS since 2020, and has formed a military alliance with Russia through the Wagner Group. This has contributed to the escalation of the conflict and has led to the collapse of a 2015 peace deal with the Tuareg since 2023.

Gen Camara's death could shake up the Malian military, which was one of the pillars of the regime. Analysts say the attacks could be the beginning of a crackdown on the country's security forces, leading to a surge in civilian casualties and a surge in refugees. It also exacerbates the political crisis in Mali, where the military government has promised to hand over power to civilians but has yet to deliver.

In kinyarwanda

Mali u mutekano muke, perezida w'iki gihugu Goïta yahungishijwe, Minisitiri w’Ingabo yishwe

Ibikorwa remezo byatwitswe

Ibitero by’imitwe y’inyeshyamba byibasiye Mali

Ibintu bikomeje kudogera muri Mali nyuma y’uko imitwe yitwaje intwaro igabye ibitero by’ibihumbi mu bice bitandukanye by’igihugu, birimo n’Umurwa Mukuru Bamako. Igisirikare cya Mali cyatangaje mu ijoro ryo ku wa 25 Mata 2026 ko ibitero byo kwirukana aba barwanyi byari bikomeje, ndetse bamwe bahise bahunga. Imirwano yumvikanye cyane i Kati, ahakomoka abasirikare benshi, no muri Gao, Sevare na Mopti.

Gen Camara wishwe Tariki ya 26 mata 2026

Aljazeera yatangaje ku wa 26 Mata 2026 ko Minisitiri w’Ingabo wa Mali, Gen Sadio Camara, yiciwe ku rugo rwe i Kati nyuma y’ibitero byinshi byagabwe n’abarwanyi ba al Qaeda n’aba Tuareg kuva ku wa Gatandatu. Camara yari umwe mu basirikare bakomeye bagize uruhare mu guhirika ubutegetsi bwa Perezida Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta mu coup d’état za 2020 na 2021, akaba yarabaye igikomangoma mu butegetsi bwa gisirikare bwa Perezida Assimi Goïta.

Amakuru agezweho ni uko Perezida Assimi Goïta yamaze guhungishirizwa mu kigo cy’ingabo zidasanzwe za Mali, mu gihe urusaku rw’amasasu rukomeje kumvikana no muri Kidal ku wa 26 Mata 2026. Ibi bitero bigaragaza ko umutekano wa Mali ukomeje kuba muke cyane nubwo ubutegetsi bwa gisirikare bwatangaje ko bugamije gucunga igihugu.

Abarwanyi b’umutwe wa Azawad Liberation Front (ALF), ushaka ubwigenge bw’Abatuareg, bibasiye imijyi yo mu majyaruguru nka Kidal. Ku rundi ruhande, umutwe wa kiyisilamu ,Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) ushamikiye kuri al Qaeda wagabye ibitero ahandi hose mu gihugu. Ibi byongereye ubwoba mu baturage no mu nzego z’ubutegetsi.

Mali imaze igihe kinini ihanganye n’imitwe y’inyeshyamba yo mu Burengerazuba bwa Afurika, irimo al Qaeda na Islamic State mu karere ka Sahel. Ubutegetsi bwa gisirikare bwatandukanye n’u Bufaransa n’umuryango wa ECOWAS kuva 2020, maze bugirana ubufatanye bwa gisirikare n’u Burusiya binyuze mu itsinda rya Wagner. Ibi byagize uruhare mu gukaza amakimbirane ndetse no gutuma amasezerano y’amahoro ya 2015 n’aba Tuareg asenyuka kuva 2023.

Urupfu rwa Gen Camara rushobora guhungabanya imiyoborere y’ingabo za Mali, kuko yari umwe mu nkingi zikomeye z’ubutegetsi. Abasesenguzi bavuga ko ibi bitero bishobora kuba intangiriro yo kugenzura ibice bitandukanye by’igihugu, bikongera ubuhungiro bw’abaturage n’umubare w’impunzi. Ibi kandi bitiza umurindi ikibazo cya politiki muri Mali, aho ubutegetsi bwa gisirikare bwari bwarasezeranyije gusubiza ubutegetsi abasivile ariko bikaba bitaragerwah