Mali Marks Independence Day Amid Deepening Security Crisis

Mali marked its 66th independence anniversary as armed groups expand their reach and a fuel blockade exposes the vulnerability of supply routes into Bamako. JNIM and the Tuareg-led FLA have increasingly coordinated attacks, including an April offensive that killed Defence Minister Sadio Camara. The government, which seized power in a 2020 coup, struggles to secure territory and key routes.