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Sadio Camara, Mali’s defence minister, has been killed during coordinated attacks on military sites across the country, sources told Al Jazeera.
The reported killing comes a day after his residence in Kati was targeted during simultaneous assaults by an al-Qaeda-linked group and Tuareg rebels.
Camara was a key figure in the military government that took power following coups in 2020 and 2021.
“He was one of the most influential figures within the ruling military leadership and had been seen by some as a possible future leader of Mali,” said Nicolas Haque.
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“His death is a major blow to the country’s armed forces.”
According to Haque, attackers carried out a suicide car bomb assault on Camara’s residence in Kati, a heavily fortified military town about 15 km (9 miles) northwest of Bamako.
“Kati is considered one of the most secure locations in the country, yet fighters from the al-Qaeda-linked Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), along with Tuareg fighters from the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA), were able to launch the attack,” he said.
Interim President Assimi Goita was “alive and well in a secure location,” Haque added.
“When the attack took place, he was moved to safety, so he remains in command of the military,” he said.
Gunmen also attacked several other locations across Mali, including Bamako, as well as the northern cities of Gao and Kidal, and the central town of Sevare.
Residents in Kidal reported continued gunfire and explosions on Sunday, more than 24 hours after the attacks began.
Analyst Bulama Bukarti said further clashes were likely in the coming days.
“These are two groups fighting for different objectives,” Bukarti told Al Jazeera.
“But they came together last year and said they would work together going forward, and what we have seen over the last few days is the actual implementation of this agreement.”
The African Union, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, and the United States Bureau of African Affairs condemned the attacks.
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