Mali leader Goita takes defence post after minister killed | News
Mali’s Military Leader Assumes Role as Defense Minister Following Killings
MALI—The leader of Mali’s military government, Assimi Goita, has assumed the position of defense minister after the assassination of his predecessor, Sadio Camara, amid a recent uprising by rebel groups. State television ORTM reported Monday that Goita will continue to serve as president while managing the new portfolio.
Camara was killed during a car bomb attack at his residence last week, part of a series of large-scale assaults orchestrated by an al-Qaeda-linked group in collaboration with Tuareg separatists. This marked one of the most significant escalations of violence in Mali in nearly 15 years, with over 23 people reported dead. UNICEF reported that civilians, including children, were among the casualties.
General Oumar Diarra, formerly the military chief of staff, has been appointed as the delegate minister to the defense ministry.
Mali has faced ongoing security challenges since at least 2012. The al-Qaeda-affiliated Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) controls significant portions of rural territory, particularly in the north and central regions, while the ISIL-affiliated group in Sahel Province (ISSP) operates in northeastern Menaka. In addition, Tuareg separatists from the Liberation Front for Azawad (FLA) are seeking an independent state, battling the Malian military and allied Russian forces deployed since 2021.
Both JNIM and FLA collaborate in some operations, drawing fighters from shared local communities. Their recent coordinated attacks on the military government highlight the complexity of the ongoing conflict.
Goita’s leadership follows coups in 2020 and 2021, during which he has pledged to restore security in the nation. However, the military government has struggled to achieve stability and has severed ties with France, expelling French forces and United Nations peacekeeping missions.
In July, military authorities granted Goita a renewable five-year presidential mandate without the necessity of elections. Additionally, the Russian Wagner Group, which had been supporting Malian forces, recently transitioned to the Africa Corps, now directly under Russia’s defense ministry.
In response to last month’s violence, rebel groups declared a blockade of the capital, Bamako, in retaliation for alleged public support of the military. However, reports indicate that the blockade has only been partially effective, according to an AFP correspondent in the area.
