Malian authorities have launched an investigation into military officers suspected of collaborating with jihadist and separatist fighters who carried out a wave of coordinated attacks across the country, according to a statement from the country's prosecutor's office cited by France24.
The prosecutor's office confirmed that initial arrests have been made and that investigators are continuing to identify and locate additional suspects believed to have facilitated the attacks.
The probe signals a significant security concern for Mali's ruling military government, as it suggests the possibility of insider involvement in one of the more serious coordinated assault campaigns the country has faced in recent years.
Tessalit camp captured, army withdraws
Separately, the Azawad Liberation Front, a separatist group operating in northern Mali, claimed it had seized a strategic military camp in the town of Tessalit following the withdrawal of Malian army forces and their allied fighters from the area, France24 reported.
Tessalit sits in the far north of Mali near the Algerian border and has long held strategic importance due to its location in a region where multiple armed groups operate. The reported fall of the camp would represent a notable territorial gain for the separatist movement if confirmed.
A country under sustained pressure
Mali has faced persistent instability since a pair of military coups in 2020 and 2021 brought the current junta to power. The government has since severed ties with France and the broader Western security architecture, instead turning to Russian paramilitary support through forces linked to the Wagner Group, now operating under the name Africa Corps.
Jihadist groups affiliated with al-Qaeda and the Islamic State continue to operate across Mali's vast central and northern territories, frequently clashing with government forces and allied militias. Separatist factions in the north have also intensified their campaigns in recent years, often operating in parallel with or alongside jihadist fighters in ways that complicate the government's security response.
The investigation into alleged military collaboration with these groups adds a new dimension to those challenges, raising questions about the reliability of Mali's armed forces at a time when the junta is under pressure to demonstrate control over a deteriorating security situation.
Authorities have not yet released the names of those arrested or detailed the specific nature of the alleged collaboration. The investigation is described as ongoing.
