Mali's military leader, Assym Goïta, has taken over the role of defence minister following the death of his predecessor in a series of coordinated attacks, according to a report by France 24.
State television announced on Monday that a decree has been issued officially assigning the position to Goïta. The move follows large-scale attacks on April 25 carried out by al-Qaeda-linked militants and Tuareg separatists.
General Oumar Diarra, Mali's army chief of staff, will now serve as the minister delegate for defence. The government described the leadership change as a "strategic decision coming in a security context that remains sensitive."
Security crisis in the Sahel
The previous defence minister, Sadio Camara, was killed when a suicide bomber drove a car laden with explosives into his residence. Camara had been a key figure in strengthening Mali's military ties with Russia.
The April 25 attacks involved a rare alignment between the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), an Al-Qaeda affiliate, and the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA), a Tuareg separatist movement.
According to France 24, these simultaneous strikes targeted the heart of the military government, which seized power through coups in 2020 and 2021. The fighting has since spread across Mali's vast northern desert regions.
A spokesperson for the FLA has threatened further escalation, vowing that the separatists will conquer the north and predicting that the current junta will "fall."
Authorities are currently investigating potential involvement by Malian soldiers in the recent attacks, a judicial official stated last Friday. Analysts suggest the increasing activity of these armed groups could eventually threaten neighboring countries.
