According to a document from the Malian army obtained by RFI, there is a “high” risk of suicide attacks to be feared in Bamako and its surroundings, amid high regional tensions.
“High risks of suicide attacks in Bamako and the surrounding areas using tricycles,” reads a message from the Malian army obtained by RFI. It further instructs to “strengthen security inside the camps,” “systematically check all vehicles, including motorcycle taxis,” and to “remain vigilant.”
This message comes in the context of intense tensions between the military in power and the groups signatory to the Algiers Agreement. The security situation in the northern part of the country has significantly deteriorated since the beginning of September, with multiple terrorist attacks targeting positions of the Malian Armed Forces (FAMa) as well as civilians. Furthermore, as the army prepares to retake UN camps in the Kidal region, the Coordination of Azawad Movements (CMA), on the other hand, is determined to keep the areas under its control.
At the same time as the JNIM attacks are multiplying, the CMA, for its part, is taking actions to prevent the loss of the areas it controls in the northern part of the country. The resumption of hostilities, which seemed inevitable between the two sides, marks a new phase in the country’s security situation since the signing of the Peace and Reconciliation Agreement in 2015.
