Sources: 
Coordinated attacks by the al-Qaeda-linked Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) and the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) have severely undermined Mali's military junta, which faces increasing insecurity amid the recent withdrawal of Russian forces from Kidal. The attacks resulted in fierce fighting and exposed the junta's vulnerabilities.
On Saturday, JNIM claimed responsibility for a series of military site attacks, including one in Bamako.
“The attacks show that Russian mercenaries only have a limited capacity,” stated
Nina Wilen, director for the Africa Programme at Egmont Institute for International Relations. Mali's Defence Minister Sadio Camara was killed in an apparent suicide bombing, marking a significant setback for the military government.
Additionally, the FLA has claimed total control of Kidal following the Russian withdrawal, stating that the city is now 'free' from junta control. Local sources confirm that jihadist groups and FLA have filled the power vacuum left by Russian forces.
“There has been a coordination between jihadists and Tuareg rebels,” noted
Ulf Laessing, head of the Sahel program at Germany's Konrad Adenauer Foundation. This unprecedented alliance between groups historically at odds poses greater challenges to Mali’s already fragile security landscape.
Local reports convey that urban areas remain secure, yet rural territories are increasingly dominated by these insurgent factions.
The situation indicates a growing discontent among the populace, complicating the junta's efforts to regain control against these threats.
Sources: 
The coordinated attacks by the al-Qaeda-linked Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) and the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) have exposed significant vulnerabilities within Mali's military junta, particularly following the withdrawal of Russian forces from Kidal, raising concerns over the country's security status.
