Chaos in Bamako: Insurgents Attack Training School Igniting Citywide Uproar

Mali's army reported that Bamako is under control following an insurgent attack on a gendarmerie training school in the city. The early morning attack triggered gunfire across several neighborhoods, causing residents to turn back from morning prayers. Mali continues to struggle with an Islamist insurgency despite military efforts backed by Russian support.

Mali's army declared that the capital, Bamako, is under control after insurgents attacked a gendarmerie training school on Tuesday morning, unleashing gunshots that echoed across the city.

'Early this morning, a group of terrorists attempted to infiltrate the Faladie gendarmerie school. Mopping-up operations are currently under way throughout the area,' the army stated, urging residents to stay clear and await further updates.

Faladie, located in Bamako's southeastern outskirts near the main international airport, was the epicenter of the gunfire heard around 0530 GMT. Residents heading for dawn prayers were deterred by the shooting, which some believed originated from the airport vicinity. Multiple neighborhoods, including those near the main airport, reported gunfire. Sources indicated the airport was subsequently closed.

Mali has been combating an Islamist insurgency since 2012, a conflict that has extended across the Sahel, resulting in thousands of deaths and millions displaced. The situation has led to coups in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, with frustration mounting against the governments. Despite promises from the ruling juntas and new alliances with Russian forces, jihadist attacks have surged. Recently, Wagner mercenaries and Malian troops suffered significant losses in confrontations with Tuareg rebels and jihadists.

(With inputs from agencies.)