Mali army says militants staged coordinated attacks in Bamako and other cities

Mali’s military government said armed groups staged coordinated attacks on several military positions in Bamako and other cities on April 25.

Witnesses and reporters described gunfire and explosions near the Kati military base and around Bamako’s airport area. Reuters-syndicated coverage also reported unrest in other cities including Sevare, Kidal and Gao.

The Malian armed forces later said the situation was under control and that sweep operations were continuing. Authorities did not immediately release casualty figures or identify the attackers.

The attacks come against a backdrop of long-running insecurity in Mali, where the U.S. State Department says the country remains at Level 4: Do Not Travel because of terrorism, armed conflict, crime, kidnapping and unrest.

As of publication, officials were still working to secure affected areas and assess the scale of the assault.