Mali crisis: Who are the key leaders to know about?
Summary
Armed groups linked to al-Qaeda and Tuareg separatists have intensified attacks in Mali, taking control of cities including Kidal and attacking military bases. Mali's Defence Minister, Sadio Camara, was killed in his home near the capital, and armed groups have threatened to besiege the capital, Bamako.Key Facts
- Since Saturday, violence has increased with attacks on multiple military bases in Mali.
- Al-Qaeda-linked group Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) and Tuareg separatists of the Liberation Front for Azawad (FLA) cooperated in recent attacks.
- The northern city of Kidal is now controlled by the FLA and JNIM groups.
- Malian Defence Minister Sadio Camara was killed in Kati, near the capital Bamako.
- The Malian military leader, Colonel Assimi Goita, came to power through coups in 2020 and 2021.
- Mali cut ties with France and evicted French troops and UN peacekeepers, increasing reliance on Russian mercenaries.
- The prime minister, Abdoulaye Maiga, supports breaking ties with France and is a close ally of Goita.
- Mali has faced a persistent security crisis since 2012 with multiple armed groups controlling parts of the country.
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