Reports say Mali’s Defence Minister, Sadio Camara, has been k!lled in a car bomb att@ck near the capital, amid a surge in coordinated militant a$$aults across the country.

According to family members and military sources, the explosion occurred in Kati, a key military town close to Bamako, outside his residence on Sunday, April 26. The blast reportedly k!lled Camara along with at least three family members. The att@ck is believed to have been carried out by militants linked to Al-Qaeda.

The incident came as part of a broader wave of coordinated strikes launched on Saturday, targeting several towns including Kati, which is known as a stronghold for Mali’s ruling military leadership.

Authorities say the att@cks involved jihadist groups such as the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims as well as separatist factions including the Azawad Liberation Front.

The latest escalation adds pressure on Mali’s military government, which has faced years of instability. The country has been battling insurgent vi0lence since 2012, following a rebellion in the north and the rise of Islamist armed groups. Despite the involvement of international forces in past years, including French troops and UN peacekeepers, insecurity has continued to spread.

After the coups of 2020 and 2021, Mali’s junta shifted its foreign partnerships and increased reliance on internal military operations. However, jihadist groups linked to both Al-Qaeda and ISIS have continued to carry out attacks against civilians, security forces, and officials.

Investigations into the bombing are ongoing as authorities attempt to contain the unrest and prevent further vi0lence.