Assimi Goïta Says Mali Situation Is Under Control After Jihadist Attacks

Mali’s junta leader Assimi Goïta insisted the situation in the country was “under control” in his first public address since unprecedented large-scale attacks at the weekend destabilised his ruling junta.

“Mali's military leader on Tuesday insisted the situation in his country was "under control" as he made his first public address since unprecedented large-scale attacks at the weekend destabilised his ruling junta”

Africanews

Goïta made the speech on state TV on Tuesday evening, hours after jihadists threatened to blockade the capital Bamako, after he had made no public appearance or statement for three days.

Al Jazeera

“As I am speaking to you, security arrangements have been reinforced. The situation is under control and clearing operations, search efforts, intelligence gathering and security measures are continuing,” Goïta said.

He urged Malians to “stand up against division and national fracture,” adding that the west African country needed “clarity, not panic.”

Earlier on Tuesday, Goïta’s office released photos showing him meeting wounded soldiers and civilians and meeting the ambassador of key ally Russia, Igor Gromyko.

The attacks were described as the largest in nearly 15 years and included coordinated dawn strikes against strategic junta positions, including areas around Bamako.

A hospital source told AFP that at least 23 people were killed in two days of fierce fighting, and Defence Minister Sadio Camara was among those killed.

The weekend offensive brought together the separatist Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) and the al-Qaeda-linked JNIM group, with residents across Mali waking to gunfire and explosions on Saturday.

The BBC described how attackers managed to enter Mali’s capital, Bamako, assassinate the defence minister, and seize control of northern areas, while the alliance said it was behind the coordinated assaults.

Al-Bawaba Al-Shorouq

The scale of the offensive and the withdrawal of Malian and Russian forces from the northern city of Kidal, now under FLA control, fuelled doubts about the strength of the military government led by Col Assimi Goïta.

Africanews reported that jihadists and Tuareg separatists were still positioned in the vast Sahelian country’s north three days after launching the wave of attacks, in what Goïta acknowledged was a situation “of extreme gravity.”

It also said the clashes pitted the army against Tuareg separatists from the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) and their allies within the Al-Qaeda-linked jihadist Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM).

Russia’s defence ministry said the rebels, who have captured the key town of Kidal, were “regrouping,” and it confirmed that mercenaries from Russia’s Africa Corps had been forced to withdraw from Kidal.

The AP account added that the near-simultaneous attacks struck Bamako’s international airport, the nearby garrison town of Kati, and several northern and central cities including Kidal and Sevare.

As the junta leader spoke, JNIM’s spokesman Bina Diarra said militants were imposing a blockade “on all roads into Bamako,” while also saying people who wanted to leave the capital would be allowed to do so but entering it was forbidden until further notice.

Africanews reported that Diarra said the same applied to Kati and that “Anyone breaching this blockade... will face the consequences,” while AFP could not verify whether the blockade was in place on Tuesday evening.

The BBC framed the blockade as part of a broader pressure campaign, noting that the junta had already been forced into a defensive position over the last year by JNIM’s fuel blockade on the capital, as militants broadened their insurgency to include economic warfare.

In the AP report, the U.S. Embassy in Mali issued a security alert citing “possible terrorist movements within Bamako, including reports of forced school closures.”

Goïta’s televised address in the AP account included a vow that “Military operations will continue until the armed groups involved have been completely neutralized and security has been sustainably restored throughout the country,” linking the promise of continued fighting to the need to neutralise the attackers.

Business Insider Africa similarly said Goïta promised to “neutralise” those responsible and insisted military operations would continue until “complete neutralisation” of the attackers is achieved.

In parallel, Russia’s defence ministry warned that “The enemy has not abandoned its aggressive intentions,” and said reconnaissance operations were underway to dismantle militant camps.

International responses to the Mali crisis diverged between calls for reassurance and warnings about volatility, while different outlets highlighted different aspects of the same weekend offensive.

France urged its citizens to quit Mali “as soon as possible,” after Goïta said the security crisis was “under control,” and France’s foreign ministry said the security situation remained “extremely volatile.”

BBC

France told French nationals to plan a temporary departure using commercial flights still available, while those still in Mali were urged to stay at home and remain in regular contact with family, and France repeated that travel to the country remained formally discouraged for any reason.

In the BBC’s framing, the key question was “What next for Mali's military leaders after shock of rebel offensive?” and it laid out scenarios that hinged on whether the army could launch a counter-offensive against JNIM and the FLA and whether that would “determine the longevity of the junta,” citing Beverly Ochieng at Control Risks.

Business Insider Africa focused on how Mali strengthened Russia ties after the attacks, saying Goïta addressed the nation on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, promising to “neutralise” those responsible, and it described Russia reaffirming support for Mali as concerns grew over militant expansion across the Sahel.

The AP report, by contrast, included the U.S. Embassy’s security alert about “possible terrorist movements within Bamako, including reports of forced school closures,” and it described Russia calling the attack a coup attempt.

Africanews and the BBC both noted the importance of Goïta’s meeting with Russia’s ambassador Igor Gromyko, but Africanews emphasised the photos released by Goïta’s office and the threat of a blockade, while the BBC emphasised the political implications of the defence minister’s death for the relationship with Russia.

The consequences of the attacks and the junta’s response extend beyond the immediate fighting, with multiple outlets describing how the crisis could shape Mali’s security strategy and international partnerships.

“What next for Mali's military leaders after shock of rebel offensive”

BBC

The BBC said the coming days could be critical as the army launches a counter-offensive against JNIM and the FLA, and it warned that if armed groups sustain an advance, Mali could face a prolonged conflict affecting “the future of the junta.”

Business Insider Africa

It also described how the FLA signalled ambitions to move south from Kidal, with spokesman Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane saying, “We want to take control of Gao city. All of Gao's gates have fallen, but the camps of the army have not,” and adding that Timbuktu was also in their sights: “It will be easy to take over once we fully control Gao and Kidal.”

Africanews reported that the assaults raise questions about the junta’s ability to tackle the crisis despite its insistence that its strategy, foreign partnerships and increased military efforts have stemmed the jihadist threat, and it noted that the army had withdrawn from several positions in the northern Gao region.

The AP report said Russia’s ministry of defense claimed the withdrawal from Kidal was a decision by the Malian government and described units stationed in the northern city as having “fought for more than 24 hours in full encirclement against vastly superior enemy forces and repelled four massive attacks.”

In Business Insider Africa, analysts warned the attacks signal a shift in insurgent capability with implications for regional stability, and it described the risk of further destabilisation in Mali’s vast northern regions and beyond.

RFI added a direct external consequence by reporting France’s warning to its citizens and its estimate that “About two-thirds are dual nationals living in Bamako,” with “Around 4,200 French citizens are registered with consular services in Mali,” and “about 3,000 more are not registered.”