Insurgents launched attacks on several towns in Mali on Saturday. Residents heard explosions and gunfire in key locations including Anefis and Gao.
The Azawad Liberation Front took responsibility for the strike on Anefis in the Kidal region.
Spokesman Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane confirmed the group targeted a site where Malian troops and Russian paramilitary forces operate.
Fighters directed gunfire and rockets at the military camp starting before dawn.
Meanwhile, attackers hit the central city of Gao with similar actions.
Officials have not identified the group behind the Gao operation so far.
These events mark the latest in a series of actions that challenge control in northern and central Mali.
In April, rebels carried out operations that reached Bamako airport.
Reports indicate those strikes killed the defense minister and led to the capture of army bases in the north.
The Azawad Liberation Front worked alongside a regional al-Qaeda affiliate during those April moves, and they seized Kidal town at that time.
Transitioning to the current situation, Mali continues to face pressure from multiple armed groups.
Tuareg separatists seek greater autonomy while Islamist factions linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State operate across the Sahel.
The military government that took power through coups turned away from French support and brought in Russian forces for assistance. Despite this shift, violence persists in the region.
Local sources describe how the attacks disrupt daily life for people in the affected areas.
Families move to safer zones when fighting breaks out. Markets close and travel stops as residents wait for calm to return.
The government has issued no immediate statement on Saturday’s events or any plans to respond.
