Rebels have attacked multiple towns and a prison in northern Mali. The Mali government confirmed the coordinated offensive on Saturday. Insurgents are battling army and Russian Wagner forces. The attacks mark a major escalation in the long-running conflict.
Tuareg separatists and jihadist groups have fought the government for years. The rebels recently ambushed a convoy of Russian reinforcements. That attack killed dozens of Wagner mercenaries and Malian soldiers. Mali's military junta took power in 2021. They expelled French forces and turned to Russian mercenaries. The junta has promised to crush all rebel movements. Northern Mali has been unstable since 2012. Various armed groups control large swathes of territory. The rebels want greater autonomy or independence for the north. The conflict has displaced hundreds of thousands of civilians.
The rebels have targeted Timbuktu and other strategic locations. Some attacks were diversions, according to security experts. The army claims it is repelling the insurgent offensive. Russian Wagner fighters are supporting government troops. Civilians are fleeing the fighting into neighbouring Mauritania. The UN has warned of a worsening humanitarian crisis. Aid groups cannot access many conflict zones. The junta has declared a state of emergency in some areas. Regional bodies have called for dialogue. The fighting shows no sign of ending soon.
