On Saturday, the Al Qaeda‑affiliated group JNIM announced it had seized the northern city of Kidal and the central hub of Mopti, while striking military installations around Bamako. The offensive also razed the defense minister’s residence, a symbolic blow against the junta that leans on Russia’s Africa Corps for support.

Analysts say this marks a shift from JNIM’s traditional rural insurgency to urban, conventional‑style warfare. Using car bombs, armed drones and coordinated assaults, the militants hit bases in Sevaré and Gao, prompting fears the group aims to pressure the government into negotiations it has so far rebuffed. The scale of the attacks suggests possible insider assistance.

Security officials confirmed fighting persisted into the night, though they downplayed the likelihood of the regime’s collapse. Investors monitor the turmoil for its impact on regional mining contracts and French‑backed development projects, which could face delays or cost overruns as access to key sites becomes uncertain.