Gunfire Erupts in Mali`s Capital, Bamako: Security Forces Base Attacked

Gunfire erupted in Mali's capital, Bamako, with reports indicating that at least one security forces base has come under attack. Videos circulating on social media show plumes of smoke rising over parts of the city, with some reports suggesting the smoke is coming from a police or military facility.

Security sources have confirmed to French media outlets RFI and AFP that armed men attacked one or more camps in the capital. However, it remains unclear who is responsible for the shooting. Mali has been grappling with an Islamist insurgency for more than a decade, and although the military seized power in a 2021 coup citing the government’s inability to control the violence, the insurgent attacks have shown no signs of abating three years later.

Witnesses reported that the gunfire began at around 05:30 local time (05:30 GMT). According to Reuters, people heading to mosques for morning prayers turned back in fear as the shots rang out.