Explosions and gunfire were heard in the early morning hours near the Kati military base on the outskirts of Mali’s capital Bamako, according to residents, in a suspected attack by armed fighters.
The military, which cordoned off the roads to Kati – about 15km (10 miles) northwest of Bamako – said on Friday it repelled a “terrorist attack” that used two explosive-laden vehicles.
“The provisional death toll is two assailants neutralised,” it said in a tweet. “The situation is under control and clearing operations are under way to flush out the authors and their accomplices.”
“The Malian Armed Forces vigorously repelled a terrorist attack on the Kati barracks. It was early this morning around 05:00 with 02 vehicle bombs packed with explosives.”
“We were woken up at five o’clock [in the morning] by firing, by explosions, we don’t know what’s going on,” a resident, speaking on condition of anonymity, said.At 8am, an AFP journalist heard detonations from inside the camp.
Malian special forces personnel were deployed in the area, and two helicopters flew overhead.The French embassy sent text messages to French nationals saying “attack under way at Kati” and urging caution.
The authorities in Kati could not be immediately reached for comment.
The leader of Mali’s ruling military government, Lieutenant Colonel Asimi Goita, frequently stays at the Kati camp, where he launched the 2020 coup that brought him to power.
Armed rebels linked to al-Qaeda and the ISIL (ISIS) armed groups have been fighting in the West African country for more than 10 years. Their attacks have mostly been in northern Mali but recently the fighters moved into central Mali and now, closer to the capital.
