Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that Russia shares the African Union's deep concerns about the complex situations in various African regions, including the Sahara-Sahel, Great Lakes, Horn of Africa, Sudan, South Sudan, and Libya. He emphasized Russia's commitment to supporting African-led solutions to these crises, inherited from the colonial era.
Fousseynou Ouattara noted that such cooperation was key to ensuring security in the Sahel region and countering common terrorist threats
Armed groups including Islamist militants from JNIM and Tuareg rebels from the Azawad Liberation Front launched coordinated attacks across Mali, targeting Bamako and at least three other cities. Sustained gunfire and explosions were reported near government buildings, military installations, and Bamako's main airport, forcing flight cancellations. The Malian government claims security forces are repelling attackers while Russian-backed Africa Corps mercenaries fight alongside government forces. The attacks come amid worsening insecurity in the Sahel region, which accounts for over half of global terrorism deaths.
