BAMAKO, May 5 — Mali’s junta leader, Assimi Goïta, has taken on the responsibilities of defence minister in an interim capacity after a sharp increase in attacks by armed groups, the government said. The move follows a series of strikes on military bases and critical facilities nationwide, a pattern that has deepened concern over security in the Sahel nation. Goïta, who came to power in coups in 2020 and 2021, is now expected to supervise military operations and shape national security policy more directly as the authorities…

Mali's military leader, Assimi Goïta, has stepped into the role of defense minister following the death of Sadio Camara, who was killed in a suspected suicide bombing amidst a spate of coordinated assaults. Goïta is poised to take over the defense portfolio in the wake of this tragic event. The nation is grappling with a severe security crisis, more than a week after a coalition of jihadists and separatist insurgents launched extensive attacks across the country. This operation, spearheaded by the Azawad Liberation Front…

Mali’s ruling junta came under intense strain after Defence Minister Sadio Camara was killed in an attack on his home, while army forces battled for a second straight day against jihadist fighters and separatist rebels near Bamako and in other parts of the country. Camara, his second wife and two of his grandchildren were killed in a car bomb attack on his residence in the junta bastion of Kita, outside the capital, according to his family and an official. The coordinated assaults were carried out by Tuareg rebels from the…

On October 31, Mali's transitional national council approved a law that criminalizes homosexuality, a move that casts a long shadow over the nation’s LGBTQI+ community. This newly minted legislation heightens the dangers of stigma, discrimination, and violence against individuals identifying as part of this community across Mali. This isn't just a recent shift; Mali's human rights landscape has dramatically declined since January. The government has rolled out harsh measures targeting opposition groups, mainstream media,…

Mali's transitional government is aware of its commitment to a fixed deadline for organizing elections to restore democracy after last year's coup, Prime Minister Choguel Maiga said on Friday. Since the overthrow of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita in August 2020, political factions in Mali and foreign partners have been looking at whether the military-led interim authorities will stick to a promise to hold elections within 18 months. Maiga presented the interim action plan to the government and outlined four key…

Mali's interim president Bah Ndaw on Monday appointed a 25-man authorities by which members of the navy occupy key positions, based on a decree broadcast reside on state tv. At the very least 4 key cupboard positions - protection, safety, territorial administration and nationwide reconciliation - go to colonels within the…

Bah Ndaw, a retired colonel who has been appointed Mali's interim president after last month's coup, made his first public appearance on Thursday and met with a regional mediator, AFP reporters said. Ndaw, 70, met former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan in Bamako on a mission for the 15-nation bloc ECOWAS on the eve of his inauguration. Ndaw's appointment was announced Monday by Colonel Assimi Goita, who is leading a junta of young military officers who seized power on August 18, removing President-elect Ibrahim…