Russia claims its forces foiled coup attempt in Mali amid deadly militant attacks

Russia’s Defence Ministry said its African Corps stopped a coup attempt in Mali on April 25, 2026 after clashes with armed groups. The attacks followed coordinated violence by militants across several cities, including Bamako. Mali’s government also confirmed the death of Defence Minister Sadio Camara after a suicide bombing at his residence near Bamako.

The Russian Defence Ministry stated on Tuesday that units of its African Corps played a key role in stopping what it described as an attempted coup in Mali on April 25, 2026. According to the ministry’s statement, “illegal armed formations attempted an armed coup” last week, but these efforts were allegedly thwarted through military action carried out by African Corps personnel operating in the country.
The ministry further explained that during what it described as intense and violent confrontations, African Corps units engaged the attacking forces and “inflicted irreparable losses” on them in both personnel and equipment. It claimed that the opposing groups were stronger in numbers and resources, yet were ultimately unable to sustain their operation due to the resistance they faced. The statement added that this intervention forced the armed groups to abandon their plans completely, thereby preventing a change of government.
It also emphasized that the outcome of the operation helped maintain what it referred to as the authority of the legitimate government and contributed to avoiding potential widespread civilian casualties. The ministry framed the development as a stabilizing action during a period of heightened insecurity in the country.
These claims come in the wake of a series of coordinated attacks carried out by armed groups across Mali on Saturday, including assaults in several major cities. Among the groups involved were factions linked to Al-Qaeda, which reportedly targeted multiple locations simultaneously, including the capital city Bamako. Bamako experienced significant security disruptions as part of these attacks, which heightened tensions across the country and triggered military responses.
In a related development, Mali’s transitional government confirmed on Sunday the death of Defence Minister Sadio Camara during the same wave of violence. The announcement was made in an official statement read on national television by General Issa Ousmane Coulibaly.
The government explained that the minister was specifically targeted when a suicide attacker drove a vehicle packed with explosives into his residence in Kati, a key military town located near Bamako. The attack was described as highly coordinated, with armed assailants accompanying the bombing.
Despite the severity of the assault, Defence Minister Sadio Camara reportedly engaged the attackers directly and fought back, managing to neutralise several of them during the exchange of fire. However, he sustained critical injuries in the process. He was quickly evacuated to a medical facility for urgent treatment, but despite efforts to save his life, he later succumbed to his injuries in hospital.