Mali's Defence Minister Sadio Camara, his second wife, and two of his grandchildren died after a car bomb attack on his home in the junta stronghold of Kati, outside Bamako, his family and an official said.
Coordinated nationwide attacks by jihadist fighters and separatist rebels occurred this weekend. The offensive was synchronised by Tuareg rebels of the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) coalition and the jihadist Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM). These groups targeted several areas in the country.
Government troops are still fighting in some parts of the country. General Assimi Goita, the junta leader, has not been seen since the attacks began at dawn on Saturday.
The killing of Camara comes amid a surge in violence by jihadist and rebel groups. This raises fresh concerns over security in the West African nation.
Analysts said the coordinated attacks were the most serious challenge to the country's rulers since the March 2012 offensive. That offensive was repelled by the intervention of French forces, who have since left.
Mali’s Defence Minister Sadio Camara, his second wife, and two of his grandchildren died in a car bomb attack on his home in Kati, outside of Bamako. The attack on Saturday targeted his residence, marking a significant escalation in the country's security crisis. An official confirmed the deaths of Camara’s family members.
Coordinated nationwide attacks by jihadist fighters and separatist rebels occurred this weekend. The offensive was synchronised by Tuareg rebels of the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) coalition and the jihadist Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM). These groups targeted several areas in the country.
Government troops are still fighting in some parts of the country. The death of Defence Minister Sadio Camara represents a serious blow to the administration. General Assimi Goita, the junta leader, has not been seen since the attacks began at dawn on Saturday.
The separatists confirmed an alliance with JNIM, complicating counterinsurgency efforts. The killing of Camara comes amid a surge in violence by jihadist and rebel groups. This raises fresh concerns over security in the West African nation.
Analysts said the coordinated attacks were the most serious challenge to the country’s rulers since the March 2012 offensive. That offensive was repelled by the intervention of French forces, who have since left. Al Jazeera’s Nicolas Haque reports the army is battling armed groups in several locations after fighting spreads across the country.
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For example, the sources report that Sadio Camara's family confirmed his death, along with that of his second wife and two grandchildren, due to a car bomb attack.