Militants launched coordinated attacks in Mali’s capital, Bamako, and several internal locations Saturday morning, according to the Malian army. The assaults involved multiple groups and were marked by two loud explosions and ongoing gunfire just before 6 a.m. near Mali’s primary military base in Kati, outside Bamako. Observers reported soldiers blocking roads in the vicinity.
Similar unrest was reported simultaneously in the central town of Sevare, as well as Kidal and Gao in the northern regions, with eyewitnesses noting heavy gunfire in Sevare. Mali continues to face insurgencies from regional al-Qaeda affiliates and Daesh, alongside a long-standing Tuareg-led rebellion in the north.
In a statement, the Malian military claimed that unidentified “terrorist” groups attacked various locations across the country, including the capital, but did not specify exact sites. The military indicated that fighting persisted and urged civilians to stay calm.
Since taking power through coups in 2020 and 2021, Mali’s military leaders pledged to improve security, yet frequent attacks on forces and civilians persist. Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane, spokesman for the Tuareg-led Azawad Liberation Front (FLA), claimed via social media that his forces seized multiple positions in Kidal and Gao. Independent verification of this has not been confirmed.
Sources indicate that Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), an al-Qaeda regional affiliate, was involved in Saturday’s assaults, alongside suspected Daesh operatives in the Sahel. Neither group has publicly claimed responsibility yet.
Officials from the government and military did not respond immediately to requests for comment.
Residents near Bamako’s airport reported hearing gunfire early Saturday from a nearby military camp housing Russian mercenaries, though not directly at the airport itself. The government, led by Assimi Goita, has relied on Russian security support despite earlier reluctance to cooperate with Western nations. Recently, Mali has been moving closer to the U.S., with reports emerging in March of negotiations to allow Washington to conduct surveillance flights over the country to monitor insurgent activity.
Turkish President Erdogan Promotes Historic PKK Disarmament
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan greets the audience before addressing the members of his ruling AK Party in Ankara on July 12, 2025. — Reuters
Erdogan celebrates PKK disarmament as a major milestone.
Calls on parliament to fully back the disarmament effort.
Thirty PKK fighters publicly destroy their weapons in northern Iraq.
On Saturday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged complete support for the disarmament of Kurdish militants, following the initial transfer of weapons from the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). He described this moment as a fresh chapter for Turkey.
In a symbolic act, thirty PKK fighters set fire to their weapons in a cave in northern Iraq on Friday, marking a significant step toward ending a lengthy insurgency against Turkey.
“As of yesterday, we are witnessing the start of the end of terrorism. Today signifies a new dawn; a new chapter in our history has begun. The path to a strong, united Turkey is wide open,” Erdogan declared to members of his AK Party in Ankara.
He emphasized that recent developments have fostered unity within the nation, and he expressed hope that parliament would play an essential role in establishing a legal framework to finalize the disarmament.
“I trust that our parliament will participate broadly to support this process,” Erdogan added.
Ankara is working on establishing a parliamentary commission that would oversee the disarmament as well as the PKK’s transition into democratic governance.
The PKK, which has been in conflict with the Turkish state since 1984, decided to disband and lay down its arms in May after a public call from its long-imprisoned leader, Abdullah Ocalan.
After numerous failed peace attempts, this new initiative holds the potential to resolve an insurgency that has claimed over 40,000 lives and created deep social and economic divisions in Turkey and beyond.
A PKK fighter participates in a disarmament ceremony in Sulaimaniya, Iraq, on July 11, 2025. — Reuters
On Friday, thirty militants from the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) set fire to their weapons at the entrance of a cave in northern Iraq, marking a crucial yet symbolic move towards ending a prolonged insurgency against Turkey.
Video footage showed the fighters, half of whom were women, lining up to deposit AK-47 rifles, ammunition belts, and other firearms into a large gray cauldron. The flames consumed the weapons, which pointed skyward, while Kurdish, Iraqi, and Turkish officials observed the event from a distance.
Since being banned in 1984, the PKK has been engaged in a fierce struggle against the Turkish state. However, in May, the group announced its decision to disband and disarm following a public appeal from their long-imprisoned leader, Abdullah Ocalan.
Amid a history of unsuccessful peace talks, this new effort could potentially clear the way for Ankara to resolve an insurgency that has claimed over 40,000 lives, strained the economy, and created severe social and political rifts within Turkey and its neighboring regions.
President Tayyip Erdogan expressed optimism that the PKK’s disbandment would enhance Turkey’s security and promote regional stability. He remarked on X, “May God grant us success in achieving our objectives for the safety of our homeland, the peace of our people, and the establishment of lasting tranquility in our region.”
The ceremony took place at the Jasana cave’s mouth, located in the town of Dukan, about 60 kilometers northwest of Sulaymaniyah in Iraq’s Kurdistan region.
The soldiers, dressed in beige military uniforms, were accompanied by four commanders, one of whom was a prominent PKK leader, Bese Hozat. She read a declaration in Turkish that announced the group’s decision to disarm.
“In your presence, we voluntarily destroy our weapons as a gesture of goodwill and commitment,” she stated, before another commander translated the message into Kurdish.
Helicopters flew overhead while numerous Iraqi Kurdish security forces secured the mountainous area, according to a witness from Reuters.
The event attracted Turkish and Iraqi intelligence officials, representatives from Iraq’s Kurdistan regional government, and key members of Turkey’s pro-Kurdish DEM party, who played a significant role in facilitating the PKK’s decision to disarm this year.
The timeline for additional disarmament events remains unclear.
A senior Turkish official indicated that the arms handover represents an “irreversible turning point” in the peace process, while another government source noted that subsequent actions would encompass the legal reintegration of PKK members into Turkish society, as well as initiatives aimed at community healing and reconciliation.
Broader Implications
The PKK has operated from northern Iraq after being forced well outside Turkey’s southeastern border in recent years. Turkish military forces regularly target PKK bases in that area and have established several military outposts.
Peace between NATO-member Turkey and the PKK could have far-reaching implications across the region, including in neighboring Syria, where the U.S. collaborates with Syrian Kurdish groups that Ankara views as PKK affiliates.
Both Washington and Ankara seek to have these Kurdish groups swiftly assimilate into Syria’s security framework, which has been undergoing changes since the fall of autocratic President Bashar al-Assad in December. Analysts suggest that PKK disarmament could intensify this pressure.
All parties involved — including the PKK, DEM, and Ocalan — have urged Erdogan’s administration to address Kurdish demands for greater rights in areas where Kurds are the majority, particularly in southeastern Turkey, where the insurgency has been most concentrated.
In a rare online video released on Wednesday, Ocalan, whose image was prominently displayed at the weapons ceremony, also called for the establishment of a parliamentary commission to manage disarmament and the larger peace initiative.
While Ankara has initiated moves toward forming this commission, both the DEM and Ocalan have stated that legal guarantees and various mechanisms are essential for facilitating the PKK’s transition to democratic politics.
Omer Celik, spokesperson for Erdogan’s AK Party, remarked that the ceremony represented an initial step towards complete disarmament and a “terror-free Turkey,” emphasizing the necessity to finalize this process “in a timely manner.”
Erdogan has asserted that disarmament will enable the reconstruction of southeastern Turkey. Over the past fifty years, Turkey has invested nearly $1.8 trillion in combating terrorism, as noted by Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek.
