Mali’s Defence Minister Sadio Camara killed during coordinated attacks

Death of key figure seen as big blow for Mali’s military government as fighting with armed groups continues.Mali’s Defence Minister, General Sadio Camara has been killed in coordinated attacks on military sites nationwide, a government spokesperson has confirmed.Camara ⁠was killed when ⁠assailants targeted his house, the spokesperson, ⁠Issa Ousmane Coulibaly, ⁠said in ⁠a statement on Sunday.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Raghu Rai, legendary Indian photographer, dies at 83list 2 of 4Yemen’s landmine crisis endures despite truce and de-mining effortslist 3 of 4Israel destroys solar panels in south Lebanonlist 4 of 4At least four people killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza despite ‘ceasefire’end of listCamara’s residence in the garrison town of Kati came under assault on Saturday during simultaneous attacks by an al-Qaeda affiliate and Tuareg rebels.Camara was a central figure in the military government that seized power after back-to-back coups in 2020 and 2021.“He was one of the most influential figures within the ruling military leadership and had been seen by some as a possible future leader of Mali,” said Al Jazeera’s Nicolas Haque, who has reported extensively from Mali.“His death is a major blow to the country’s armed forces.”Haque said attackers carried out a suicide car bomb assault on Camara’s residence in Kati, a heavily fortified military town about 15km (9 miles) northwest of the capital, Bamako, where Interim President Assimi Goita also lives.Camara’s second wife and two of his grandchildren were also killed in the attack on his home, the AFP news agency reported.“Kati is considered one of the most secure locations in the country, yet fighters from the al-Qaeda-linked Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), along with Tuareg fighters from the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA), were able to launch the attack”.Goita was “alive and well in a secure location”, Haque added.“When the attack took place, he was moved to safety, so he remains in command of the military,” he said.Gunmen attacked several other locations across Mali, including Bamako, as well as Gao and Kidal in the north and the central city of Sevare.