Mali’s military leader Gen. Assimi Goïta has appointed himself defence minister after the officer who previously held the post was killed in a wave of surprise attacks.
The West African country remains in a security crisis more than a week after an alliance of jihadists and separatist rebels launched nationwide raids.
During the offensive, Defence Minister Sadio Camara was killed in an apparent suicide truck bombing on his residence near the capital, Bamako.
A decree read on state television on Monday said Goïta would replace Camara as defence minister. He will be assisted by army chief of staff Gen. Oumar Diarra, who has been appointed minister delegate.
Goïta’s decision to lead both the presidency and the defence ministry is likely to be seen as an attempt to consolidate power as his authority faces threats.
On April 25, residents in cities and towns across Mali woke to gunfire and explosions as the separatist Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) and the al-Qaeda-linked JNIM launched coordinated attacks.
The insurgents have since imposed a partial blockade on Bamako and other cities.
The scale of the offensive, which forced Malian and allied Russian forces to withdraw from the northern city of Kidal, has raised doubts about the strength of Goïta’s military government. He came to power in a coup in August 2020.
Over the weekend, Malian authorities said they had arrested a group of soldiers allegedly linked to the offensive. According to the public prosecutor of a Bamako military court, an investigation found that former and serving military personnel were complicit in planning and executing the attacks.
Mali’s authorities also said they had partnered with the armed forces in neighbouring Niger and Burkina Faso to carry out air strikes against the jihadists and separatists. Niger’s authorities said the joint operation started just hours after the attacks.
The three countries, all under military rule, have formed the Alliance of Sahel States. They have expelled French troops and brought in Russian forces to help counter insurgents wreaking havoc across the region.
Despite these efforts, attacks have continued and large parts of all three countries remain outside government control.
