Jihadist group claims rare attack on Mali capital

An Al-Qaeda-linked jihadist group on Tuesday claimed responsibility for an attack on a military airport and training centre in Bamako, the first attack of its kind in years to hit the Malian capital.

The Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimeen (JNIM) group said on its communication channels that a "special operation" targeted "the military airport and the training centre of the Malian gendarmes in the centre of the Malian capital" at dawn.

It said the attack caused "huge human and material losses and the destruction of several military aircraft".

Heavy exchanges of fire took place early afternoon near the police station controlling access to the civilian airport terminal, security and airport officials told AFP on condition of anonymity.

Earlier, Mali's army said the situation was "under control" after what it called a foiled infiltration attempt by "terrorists" into a military police base.

The military-led authorities generally use the term "terrorists" to describe jihadists and separatists in the north of the country.

The scale of the attack, targets, means used and human toll remain unclear, in a context where the flow of information is restricted under the ruling junta.

Bamako is normally spared the kind of attacks that occur almost daily in some parts of the West African country.

In 2016, gunmen attacked a Bamako hotel housing the former European training mission of the Malian army, with no casualties reported among the mission staff.

"Early this morning, a group of terrorists tried to infiltrate the Faladie military police school," the army said on social media on Tuesday.

"The situation is under control," it announced in a news flash on radio and television.

The security ministry spoke of "terrorist attacks" against "sensitive points of the capital", including the military police school.

Images broadcast later in the day by Mali's public TV channel showed around 20 prisoners, sat on the floor with hands tied and blindfolded.

"The terrorists have been neutralised. The sweep is continuing," army chief of staff Oumar Diarra said during the ORTM news report but did not mention an attack on the airport.

- Gunfire, explosions -

The police training camp is a few minutes from the airport district, where the military facility neighbours the civilian one.

The transport ministry said in a statement that access to the airport was "temporarily restricted in order to prevent any risks".

"Bamako airport is temporarily closed due to events," an airport official said, without saying how long it would last.

A witness confirmed to AFP that the area was sealed off and that the airport could not be reached by the main road.

Authorities have not announced any official toll.

Unverified videos circulating on social media show bodies on the ground.

Search operations are under way, the army said, calling on people to remain calm and avoid the area.

Volleys of gunfire interspersed with explosions began at around 5:00 am (local and GMT), an AFP correspondent said.

Sporadic shots were still ringing out at the start of the morning.

Black smoke could be seen rising from an area near the airport.

A witness said he and other worshippers were stuck in a mosque near the area during early morning prayers.

The French high school, Liberte, announced it would remain closed "due to external events".

Staff at the United Nations mission in Mali received a message saying: "Gunshots heard in parts of Bamako. All UN personnel are to restrict movements until further notice."

- Regional unrest -

Poor and landlocked Mali has since 2012 been ravaged by different factions affiliated to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group, as well as by self-declared defence forces and bandits.

The violence spilled over into neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger.

Mali has been ruled by a military junta since back-to-back coups in 2020 and 2021.

Under junta leader Colonel Assimi Goita, Mali broke a long-standing alliance with European partners and former colonial power France, turning instead to Russia and its Wagner mercenary group for support.

The military government last year also ordered the withdrawal of the UN stabilisation mission, MINUSMA, and in January ended a 2015 peace agreement with separatist groups in the north.

Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger -- the latter two also now under military leadership -- formed their own Sahel alliance a year ago and all pledged to leave regional bloc, ECOWAS.

The worsening security situation in Mali has been compounded by a humanitarian and economic crisis.

The military leaders have pledged to regain control of the entire country.