Mali under siege: 70 dead in latest Jihadist attack, junta on edge

Over 70 people were killed and 200 were injured in Tuesday’s jihadist attack on a gendarmerie school and military airport in Bamako, the capital of Mali, according to AFP, citing military sources. The junta ruling the country since 2021, which established cooperation with Russia, had previously promised to improve security.

The explosions started on Tuesday around 1:30 AM Eastern Time at the gendarmerie school, which also houses elite military police units. The school is near the Modibo-Keita International Airport, where Airbase 101 is located. Videos show black smoke rising over the airport.

The attacks were claimed by the "Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims," a jihadist organization linked to Al-Qaeda. French daily "Le Monde" notes that Tuesday’s attack is another failure for the military junta in power since 2021, which promised to improve the security situation in the country.

Under Colonel Assimi Goita's leadership, Mali severed long-standing ties with France and several EU countries while establishing military and economic relations with Russia.

According to a survey published in August by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, 91% of Malians believe that Russian assistance will improve the country's security.

The actions of Russian mercenaries in Mali contribute to ethnic minority purges combined with propaganda calling for violence - warned the "Africa Defense Forum" (ADF), a magazine published by the US regional command in Africa.

The piece describes how even the elderly, women, and children are not spared, as their homes are destroyed by fire, and their land, livestock, and small possessions are plundered.