Hundreds of supporters of Mali’s ruling military junta gathered at a stadium in the capital, Bamako, on Saturday to reaffirm their backing for the country’s transitional authorities.
The rally was organised in response to a call by the junta, which has been in power since a 2020 coup and continues to face escalating attacks from armed insurgent groups across the country.
Participants at the event expressed solidarity with the military leadership following recent coordinated attacks by armed groups that left several people dead, including senior defence official Sadio Camara.
One supporter, Oumar Neïté, said the death of Camara had strengthened public resolve.
“The death of General Sadio Camara has deeply moved us and has not left us indifferent,” Neïté said.
“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,” he added.
Mali experienced one of its most severe coordinated security crises on April 26, when armed groups launched simultaneous attacks on military positions in Bamako and several other locations across the country.
The attacks were carried out by the Islamic militant group Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) and the Azawad Liberation Front, marking the most significant escalation in violence since 2012.
The coordinated offensive reportedly resulted in the capture of several towns, military bases, and strategic positions previously held by the Malian army and its allied forces, including the Russia-backed Africa Corps.
Following the attacks, JNIM declared a blockade of Bamako, establishing roadblocks and warning against movement into the capital.
Mali has been under military rule since the 2020 coup, with the junta pledging to restore security amid a worsening insurgency across the Sahel region.
Since taking power, the authorities have shifted their security partnerships away from traditional Western allies, including France and United Nations peacekeeping forces, and moved closer to Russia for military cooperation and support.
The latest show of public support in Bamako highlights both the junta’s continued domestic backing and the mounting security challenges it faces from multiple armed groups operating across the country.
