Mariama Hamani
Mali finds itself mired in escalating uncertainty, with daily challenges posed by relentless armed group attacks. The nation grapples with a profound security and political quagmire, prompting urgent questions: how can this impasse be resolved, and how can the intercommunity coexistence, severely strained by years of crisis, be restored?
For an extended period, Mali has been consumed by a multifaceted crisis. On one front, the security situation remains volatile, marked by persistent assaults from jihadist and separatist armed factions. A stark reminder of this instability occurred on April 25, when the capital, Bamako, suffered a significant attack that tragically claimed the life of Defense Minister Sadio Camara, among others.
Concurrently, the political landscape is dominated by military rule, with the armed forces consolidating power since the coups of 2020 and 2021, effectively suspending the activities of political parties.
A pivotal moment in this protracted conflict unfolded in November 2023, when the Forces armées maliennes (FAMA), bolstered by Russian paramilitaries from the Wagner Group, successfully recaptured Kidal. This strategic northern city had been under the control of rebel groups since 2012. The reassertion of state authority in Kidal effectively signaled the collapse of the 2015 Accord d’Alger, a peace agreement forged between the Malian government and northern separatists.
The formal dissolution of the peace framework arrived on January 25, 2024, when the Malian government officially declared the “immediate termination” of the Accord d’Alger for peace and reconciliation. With the accord abandoned, the conflict intensified. On April 25, 2026, separatist forces of the Front de libération de l’Azawad (FLA) and the Groupe de soutien à l’islam et aux musulmans (JNIM) orchestrated a series of coordinated attacks across several cities, including Bamako, and notably re-seized control of Kidal.
Insights into this complex situation are provided by leading analysts, including Étienne Fakaba Sissoko of the CFR, Gilles Yabi from WATHI, and sociologist Mohamed Abdellahi Elkhalil, who offer critical perspectives on Mali’s ongoing struggle for stability.
