This past weekend, terrorist groups carried out coordinated assaults in multiple locations across Mali, including the capital, Bamako. Mali’s Defense Minister Sadio Camara was killed in a targeted attack. The attacks carried out by separatist armed groups and jihadist militants have continued, with key infrastructure and civilians being targeted.

The unprecedented attacks have been met with sharp condemnation by the regional alliance the Confederation of Sahel States (AES) and the African Union (AU), though notably, Europe, including Mali’s former colonizer France, has remained silent.

Read more: Defense minister killed in coordinated terror attacks across Mali

AES condemns “barbaric and inhumane” attacks

In a communiqué, the Confederation of Sahel States (AES) described the assaults as “long-planned and coordinated actions aimed at inflicting heavy losses on defense and security forces and spreading terror among innocent civilian populations.”

The statement, issued by Ibrahim Traoré, said that the attacks formed part of a broader destabilization agenda: “The persistence of these barbaric and inhumane attacks bears the mark of a monstrous plot supported by enemies of the Sahel’s liberation struggle.”

Despite the scale of the attacks, the AES praised the response of Malian forces, noting: “The sinister design and destabilization attempts … have been thwarted thanks to the professional, courageous, and determined response of the Malian armed forces.”

Reaffirming regional resilience, the statement stressed that: “These ignoble, cowardly, and barbaric acts … cannot shake the will of the brave peoples of the Sahel to live free, in peace, and with dignity.”

The AES also extended condolences to the victims and expressed “full, unconditional, and fraternal solidarity” with the Malian people, government, and armed forces.

African Union expresses “grave concern”

The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, also issued a statement expressing alarm over the attacks:

“The President of the Commission is following with grave concern the attacks … targeting the capital, Bamako, as well as other urban centers across the country.”

He strongly condemned the violence, warning of its impact on civilians: “These acts … risk exposing civilian populations to significant dangers.”

The African Union reaffirmed its commitment to: “Promoting peace, security, good governance, and stability in Mali,” while expressing “full solidarity with the Malian people, the defense and security forces, as well as the national authorities.”

At the global level, UN Secretary-General António Guterres released a statement expressing he was “deeply concerned” by the escalation of violence. It added, Guterres “strongly condemns these acts of violence, expresses solidarity with the Malian people and stresses the need to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure.”

Silence in Europe

European leaders had no statements of concern or solidarity regarding attacks in Mali. While high-ranking EU representatives flooded their social media accounts with expressions of relief over US President Donald Trump’s safety on April 26, they maintained radio silence on events in Bamako.

This applied to everyone from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to EU High Representative Kaja Kallas – who recently visited West Africa promoting the bloc’s “security” agenda – to France, whose neocolonialist influence Malian authorities have firmly opposed over the past years. The attacks which cost the life of Mali’s defense minister didn’t even register on the pages of French President Emmanuel Macron and Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot. Progressive groups in France adopted a similarly muted response.

As Mali continues to confront this renewed surge of attacks, unified condemnation from regional and international actors remains necessary in confronting terrorism. The Alliance of Sahel States continues to be tested by internal and external destabilizing forces as it reorganizes its struggle over sovereignty, security, and stability in the Sahel.

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