Attack on Mali military base repelled, situation under control: Army

Gunmen have attacked the main military base where Mali's interim president lives outside the capital Bamako, but the armed forces said they repelled the assault and brought the situation under control.

Groups linked to Al Qaeda and Daesh have repeatedly attacked army bases across Mali during decade-long violence concentrated in the north and centre but never so close to Bamako in the south.

Heavy gunfire rang out for about an hour early on Friday at the Kati camp, about 15 kilometres (10 miles) from Bamako.

A convoy carrying the leader of Mali's junta, Colonel Assimi Goita, later sped away from his house in Kati in the direction of Bamako, according to Reuters news agency.

"The Malian Armed Forces vigorously repelled a terrorist attack against the Kati base. It was early this morning at around 5 o'clock with two car bombs," the military said in a tweet.

"The provisional death toll is two assailants neutralised. The situation is under control and clearing operations are under way to flush out the authors and their accomplices."

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Security situation

Kati was the site of mutinies in 2012 and 2020 that led to successful coups. Three camp residents, who asked not to be identified, said the soldiers did not appear to be fighting among themselves.

Mali's junta came to power in an August 2020 coup that began as a mutiny at the Kati base. It staged a second coup in 2021 to force out a civilian interim president who was at odds with Goita.

Goita then became interim president. He plans to continue to lead a transitional government until elections are held in 2024.

His government has sparred repeatedly with neighbouring countries and international powers over election delays, alleged army abuses and cooperation with Russian mercenaries.

Last week, unidentified armed men killed six people at a checkpoint just 70 kilometres east of Bamako.

And in a statement on Thursday, Mali's army said three soldiers and three "terrorists" were killed following simultaneous attacks in several towns in the country's centre and west, adding to a growing list of deadly incidents since last week.

The military blamed Al Qaeda-affiliated Macina Katiba for the attacks, saying they took place in and around the towns of Douentza, Koro, Sevare, Bapho, Segou and Kolokani.

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