Sadio Camara has been killed following a wave of coordinated attacks on military targets across Mali. Reports indicate that the minister died after a vehicle-borne explosive detonated outside his residence in Kati, a key military base located about fifteen kilometres from the capital, Bamako.
The attack occurred on Saturday as armed groups linked to al Qaeda and Tuareg rebels launched simultaneous assaults in several parts of the country. Kati, which serves as a stronghold for the ruling military leadership, including interim president Assimi Goita, was among the primary targets during the offensive.
Sources say the explosion destroyed the defence minister’s residence and claimed the lives of at least three members of his family. Camara was a prominent figure in Mali’s current military administration, which came to power after successive coups in 2020 and 2021, and his death marks a significant escalation in the country’s security crisis.
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Meanwhile, fresh fighting has been reported in the northern region, particularly around Kidal. A spokesperson for the Front for the Liberation of Azawad says arrangements have been made to allow certain fighters and allied foreign elements to withdraw safely from ongoing clashes, even as pressure continues on Malian forces in former United Nations mission camps.
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