The ability of the military in power in Mali to contain the resurgence of terrorist attacks has been severely tested for the past 48 hours.
While the country was already experiencing regular attacks in the center and north, the coordinated incursions by armed groups into the heart of Bamako and the city of Kati mark a worrying turning point. These events come as the junta had promised to restore security after coming to power.
Alioune Tine, founder of the NGO Afrikajom Center, emphasizes the growing inability of the military authorities to stem the threat. “More and more, the military junta is failing to contain, so to speak, the jihadist attacks that are multiplying everywhere, especially in the north; it is therefore a failure. If a military coup was carried out, it was to say: listen, we, the military, are the best, the most capable of ensuring the security of the country.”
Unprecedented coordination among armed groups
After nearly two days of fierce fighting, the JNIM and Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) groups have claimed significant strongholds in northern and central Mali. For the first time, these groups coordinated their attacks, which, according to Alioune Tine, constitutes a major setback for the Malian army.
"This is a new turning point and, at the same time, a new phase of insecurity that is extremely worrying from my point of view, and which does not only concern Mali. If people think it's only Mali, no. If Mali falls, the whole Sahel will follow, with incalculable repercussions."
The analyst fears an unprecedented proliferation of the terrorist threat in neighboring countries, particularly those belonging to the Sahel Alliance, already weakened by regional instability. He calls on the military juntas of West Africa to acknowledge their security limitations.
“I think that, since the army has just said that things are under control, we can hope that Assimi Goïta is safe and sound and that he continues to manage the situation. But the lesson to be learned, especially for military juntas in West Africa, is that they must have the courage to admit today the limits of their actions in terms of security.”
Fighting continues in Bamako, Kati, Kidal, Gao, and Mopti, with no official statement from Malian authorities on the evolving situation. One thing is certain: the security crisis is worsening, and the junta's promises of stability are being called into question more than ever.
