Gambiaj.com – (BAMAKO, Mali) – Malian authorities have arrested several soldiers and former military personnel accused of complicity in the coordinated April 25 attacks that targeted key military positions across the country, according to a statement issued by the military prosecutor in Bamako.
The attacks, carried out by the Support Group for Islam and Muslims and the Azawad Liberation Front, struck multiple locations, including Kidal, now under armed group control, and Kati, a strategic military hub near the capital. The violence claimed the life of Defense Minister Sadio Camara, dealing a significant blow to the country’s military leadership.
In a press release dated May 1, the prosecutor at the Bamako Military Tribunal confirmed that both active-duty and former soldiers were implicated in the planning, coordination, and execution of the assaults. Five soldiers were named in the statement, including one who was killed during the fighting.
The investigation has so far led to the official arrest of four soldiers, though additional security sources indicate that at least six more individuals were detained by May 2. Authorities are reportedly pursuing around twenty other suspects believed to be linked to the attacks.
Among those accused is a figure reportedly involved in the 2012 coup that toppled former president Amadou Toumani Touré. The prosecutor’s statement also suggested that certain political actors may have had a role in the events.
One of the most prominent figures named is Oumar Mariko, leader of the now-dissolved Sadi party and a longstanding opposition voice currently living in exile. Mariko has strongly rejected the allegations, calling them “completely ridiculous.”
Speaking to RFI, Mariko denied any operational ties to those accused, acknowledging only past acquaintance with a retired soldier cited in the investigation. He argued that the accusations were politically motivated, linked to his recent calls for an end to the conflict.
Mariko recently traveled to central Mali, where he met representatives of armed groups, including JNIM, and reportedly facilitated the release of detained soldiers. While authorities suggest these contacts raise concerns, Mariko defended his actions as part of his political engagement.
“I am a politician. I have contacts with military circles, with JNIM, with the Azawad Liberation Front… that does not make me complicit,” he said, adding that continued conflict serves no benefit to the Malian population.
JNIM and FLA Continue Territorial Progess
Meanwhile, developments on the ground reflect a shifting security landscape. In the northern town of Kidal, now under the control of the Azawad Liberation Front, residents are gradually resuming daily life as rebel leaders hold meetings aimed at reassuring the population.
Elsewhere, Russian mercenaries previously stationed in the northern locality of Tessalit have reportedly withdrawn and are relocating southward, underscoring ongoing volatility in Mali’s security dynamics.
The April 25 attacks mark one of the most significant escalations in recent months, highlighting both internal fractures within the military and the persistent threat posed by insurgent groups in the Sahel nation.
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