Overview
- Goita, in a decree read on state TV Monday, assumed the defense portfolio while staying president and named Gen. Oumar Diarra as delegate minister.
- The move follows the April 25 coordinated assaults by al‑Qaeda‑linked JNIM and Tuareg FLA that hit Bamako, Kati and northern towns and killed Defense Minister Sadio Camara in a car bombing at his home.
- Rebel forces captured the strategic northern hub of Kidal, and UNICEF reported at least 23 people killed, including children.
- Authorities opened a judicial probe and have detained soldiers and other suspects over alleged ties to the attackers.
- Analysts note Camara drove Mali’s pivot to Russian forces, and his death could prompt a rethink of that partnership as Russia’s Africa Corps withdrew from Kidal after rebels claimed the town.