ECOWAS condemns Mali attacks, calls for stronger regional security response

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has condemned recent deadly attacks in Mali, describing them as a threat to regional peace and stability.

Mali has for years battled insurgencies linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, alongside separatist movements in the north.

Reports indicate that the separatist Azawad Liberation Front (FLA), which is pushing for an independent Tuareg state, targeted northern cities, while the jihadist group Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) carried out coordinated attacks across multiple locations.

The attacks reportedly left at least 16 people dead, including civilians and senior government officials such as Defence Minister General Sadio Camara.

In a statement issued on Sunday, April 26, ECOWAS described the attacks as “heinous acts” that “demonstrate once again the barbaric nature of the perpetrators who continue to threaten peace, security, and stability in the West African sub-region as a whole.”

The bloc urged collective action, calling on “all states, security forces, regional mechanisms and populations of West Africa to unite and mobilize in a coordinated effort to combat this scourge.”

ECOWAS also extended condolences to victims, stating that it “extends its heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and expresses its full solidarity with the people and authorities of the Republic of Mali.”

The latest violence highlights increasing security concerns in the Sahel, where militant groups continue to exploit weak state control and regional tensions.