Mali: Hundreds rally to show support for beleaguered army leader

Hundreds of supporters of the Malian junta gathered at a stadium in the capital of Bamako on Saturday to reaffirm their support for Mali's transitional authorities.

They came at the call of the Malian junta, which has been in power since 2020 and is facing attacks from armed groups.

The renewed mobilization of supporters follows the coordinated attacks by armed groups last month, which left several people dead, including Malian Defense Minister Sadio Camara.

“The death of General Sadio Camara has deeply moved us and has not left us indifferent," said junta supporter Oumar Neïté.

"We want to show the whole world that General Sadio may be gone, but there are hundreds of Sadio Camaras here. Mali is not dead, and it never will be,” Neïté added.

Mali was struck on April 26 by one of the biggest coordinated attacks on its army in Bamako and several other cities by jihadis and rebels who seized several towns and military bases.

The Islamic militant group Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) and the Azawad Liberation Front, a Tuareg-led separatist group, jointly launched the heaviest attack on the government since 2012, with the militants and rebels seizing several cities and towns, as well as military posts from the Malian military and its ally, the Russia-backed Africa Corps.

JNIM also announced a blockade of Bamako, set up roadblocks and said it was banning everyone from entering the city.

Mali has been ruled by a military junta that took power in a 2020 coup, promising to restore security amid a surge of extremist attacks. Since seizing the country, the junta turned to Russia as its new security partner, forcing traditional allies like France and a U.N. peacekeeping mission to leave.