What's happened
On September 17, 2024, gunmen attacked a military police school in Bamako, Mali, marking the first significant assault on the capital since 2015. The military reported casualties among soldiers and initiated a security sweep in the area. The attack follows a recent meeting of military leaders from Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger.
Why it matters
What the papers say
According to the New York Times, the attack on the military police school in Bamako resulted in several casualties among soldiers, with operations ongoing to secure the area. The military stated, 'The situation is under control,' urging residents to avoid the vicinity. Al Jazeera reported that the military facility was targeted early in the morning, leading to a temporary shutdown of Bamako's Modibo Keita international airport. The Independent highlighted the rarity of such attacks in the capital, noting that the last significant incident occurred in 2015. The coverage across these sources illustrates a consensus on the severity of the attack while also emphasizing the broader implications for Mali's security landscape.
How we got here
Mali has faced an Islamist insurgency for over a decade, primarily in the north and center. The capital, Bamako, has largely been spared until now. Recent military coups have shifted alliances from France to Russia for security support, complicating the conflict landscape.
More on these topics
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Mali, officially the Republic of Mali, is a landlocked country in West Africa. Mali is the eighth-largest country in Africa, with an area of just over 1,240,000 square kilometres.
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Niger or the Niger, officially the Republic of the Niger, is a landlocked country in West Africa named after the Niger River. Niger is bordered by Libya to the northeast, Chad to the east, Nigeria to the south, Benin to the southwest, Mali to the north-we
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Burkina Faso is a landlocked country in West Africa. It covers an area of around 274,200 square kilometres and is surrounded by six countries: Mali to the north and west; Niger to the east; Benin to the southeast; Togo to the southeast; Ghana to the south
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Bamako is the capital and largest city of Mali, with a 2009 population of 1,810,366. In 2006, it was estimated to be the fastest-growing city in Africa and sixth-fastest in the world.