Gunfire and blasts rock Mali as attackers hit capital and other cities, residents say

AfricaGunfire and blasts rock Mali as attackers hit capital and other cities, residents sayResidents in cities across Mali reported gunfire and blasts on Saturday morning, suggesting a possible coordinated attack by armed groups.Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00Motorists drive toward the Africa Tower in Bamako, Mali, in 2025. AFP via Getty Images fileShareAdd NBC News to GoogleApril 25, 2026, 10:02 AM EDTBy The Associated PressBAMAKO, Mali — Gunmen attacked several locations in Mali's capital and other cities early Saturday in a possible coordinated assault, residents and authorities said.Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.Mali's army said in a statement that "unidentified armed terrorist groups targeted certain locations and barracks in the capital." It added that soldiers were "currently engaged in eliminating the attackers."Mali has been plagued by insurgencies fought by affiliates of al-Qaida and the Islamic State group, as well as a separatist rebellion in the north.An Associated Press journalist in Bamako heard sustained heavy weapons and automatic rifle gunfire coming from Modibo Keïta International Airport, around 15 kilometers (9 miles) from the city center, and saw a helicopter over nearby neighborhoods. The airport is adjacent to an air base used by Mali’s air force. A resident living near the airport also reported gunfire and three helicopters patrolling overhead.Residents in other cities in Mali reported gunfire and blasts on Saturday morning, suggesting a possible coordinated attack by armed groups.Gunmen entered the northeastern city of Kidal, taking control of some neighborhoods and leading to gunfire exchanges with the army, a former mayor of Kidal told AP over the phone. He spoke on condition of anonymity out of fear for his safety.The Azawad separatist movement has been fighting for years to create the state of Azawad in northern Mali. They once drove security forc...