France has advised its citizens to leave Mali "as soon as possible," following a weekend of coordinated attacks by separatist fighters and Islamist militants that made the country's "extremely volatile" situation even more so.
On Wednesday, the French foreign ministry updated its travel advice, warning citizens not to travel to the West African nation at all. Explosions and sustained gunfire were reported across the country, including the capital, Bamako, on Saturday. In Kati, defense leader Sadio Camara was killed in an apparent suicide bombing by militants, while in the north, separatist forces have taken control of the city of Kidal.
Mali's military leader, Gen. Assimi Goïta, said the security situation was under control. Speaking publicly for the first time on Tuesday evening, he claimed the army had dealt a "violent blow" to the attackers and signaled that operations were ongoing - which is the kind of statement that usually means things are very much not under control.
Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane, spokesperson for the ethnic Tuareg separatist Azawad Liberation Front (FLA), vowed to AFP that "the regime will fall, sooner or later." Speaking during a visit to Paris, he said rebels intended to take control of several other northern towns - Gao, Timbuktu, and Menaka - following their success in Kidal. He also called for Russian forces, who have been helping the military government against rebel groups, to withdraw from "all of Mali" after they agreed to pull out of Kidal on Monday. He told the BBC he was in Paris for a "private matter" and denied reports of talks with French defense officials.
The French foreign ministry advised citizens to "make arrangements to leave Mali temporarily as soon as possible on the commercial flights that are still available." Pending departure, they should stay home, limit movements, and follow instructions from local authorities - and keep relatives informed. "Travel to Mali is still strongly discouraged, regardless of the reason," the ministry added.
The UK has also advised "against all travel to Mali due to the unpredictable security conditions" and asked its citizens to leave. Its travel guidelines, in place since the weekend, told British citizens to "leave immediately by commercial flight if you judge it safe to do so." They also warned against traveling by land to neighboring countries, deeming it "too dangerous" due to "terrorist attacks along national highways." The foreign office added: "If you choose to remain in Mali, you do so at your own risk. You should have a personal emergency plan that does not rely on the UK government."
Bamako International Airport is currently open, but travelers have been warned to check for delays or cancellations. The US embassy in Mali said it was continuing to "closely monitor" the situation and told citizens to "shelter in place, remain alert... and avoid areas where security operations may be under way."
On Saturday, fighting was reported in Bamako, Kati (home to a major military base), Gao, Kidal, and the central cities of Sevare and Mopti. Clashes reportedly continued into Sunday in Kidal and Kati. The FLA assault focused on northern areas claimed as parts of a Tuareg homeland, while the jihadist group Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) staged simultaneous attacks on multiple locations across the country.
Mali is currently ruled by a military junta led by Goïta, who first seized power in a coup in 2020, promising to restore security and push back armed groups. The junta had popular support when it took power, promising to deal with the long-running security crisis prompted by the Tuareg rebellion in the north - which was then hijacked by Islamist militants. UN peacekeepers and French forces deployed to deal with the escalating insurgency left after the junta took over, and the military government hired Russian mercenaries to help tackle the insecurity. However, the jihadist insurgency has continued, and large parts of the north and east remain outside government control.
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