Overview

• Pre-dawn assaults struck military positions in Kayes, Nioro, Sandare, Gogui and three other western towns, the army said.
• A blast at the Kayes governor’s residence preceded intense gunfire at the nearby camp, according to military sources and residents.
• Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin claimed responsibility for the coordinated attacks on Tuesday morning.
• The raids follow a months-long jihadist offensive that has expanded since UN peacekeepers withdrew, including recent strikes on Timbuktu’s airport and central Mali barracks.
• Mali’s military junta, along with those in Burkina Faso and Niger, has struggled to contain cross-border extremist advances despite pledges to prioritize security.