Mali finds itself ensnared in a protracted and multifaceted crisis, characterized by both deep-seated security challenges and profound political instability. 

The security crisis is starkly evident through relentless assaults by jihadist and separatist armed groups. A particularly devastating incident occurred on April 25, when the capital, Bamako, was targeted in an attack that tragically claimed the life of Defense Minister Sadio Camara, among others.

Concurrently, the political landscape remains turbulent, marked by the suspension of political party activities and the military’s firm grip on power, a dominance established following the coups d’état in 2020 and 2021.

A pivotal moment arrived in November 2023 when the Malian Armed Forces (FAMA), bolstered by Russian paramilitary support from the Wagner Group, successfully reclaimed Kidal. This strategic city had been under the control of rebel factions since 2012. The re-engagement in hostilities effectively underscored the complete collapse of the 2015 Algiers Accord, an agreement originally brokered between the Malian government and northern separatist groups in a bid for peace.

Subsequently, on January 25, 2024, the Malian government officially declared the “immediate termination” of the Algiers Accord for peace and reconciliation. With the Algiers Accord definitively abandoned, the conflict reignited with renewed intensity. By April 25, 2026, separatist forces, notably the Front de libération de l’Azawad (FLA) and the Groupe de soutien à l’islam et aux musulmans (JNIM), initiated a coordinated series of assaults across several cities, including Bamako, swiftly re-establishing control over Kidal.

Further insights into this complex situation are explored in our special segment, featuring expert analyses from Étienne Fakaba Sissoko of the CFR, Gilles Yabi from WATHI and the distinguished sociologist Mohamed Abdellahi Elkhalil.