Ruptly
"Hundreds of civil society members and supporters of the transitional authority held a large patriotic rally in Bamako on Saturday, backing the armed forces' operations against coordinated attacks and threats of a blockade by Jama'a Nusrat ul-Islam (JNIM), which jeopardise Mali's stability. Footage shows backers singing patriotic songs, chanting slogans in support of the armed forces, waving Malian flags and holding placards reading: 'The people and the FAMa (Armed Forces): one body, one fight’, 'Our commitment, our homeland, our pride' and 'Mali! Standing united and determined' at Mamadou Konate stadium. "We are Malian citizens, and we cannot stand on the sidelines of what is happening in our country," said supporter Fatoumata Keita. "We are telling our FAMa that we are here," she added on behalf of the women. "We are praying for them. But we are also soldiers. We also have weapons. We do not have conventional weapons, but as mothers, we have our tricks, our strategies to strengthen and encourage them." Participant Mariam Dolo remarked, "What happened in Mali on April 25 shows that it is truly time now for Malians to stand up and show that we are not afraid. We are ready to stand by Mali to the very end. And we will see this struggle through to the end, and Mali will never be divided." Backer Seydou Diakite stated that the recent wave of terrorism is not 'solely' the responsibility of the armed forces or the transitional government, and that citizens must also play a significant role in curbing the latest threats. "The malicious acts taking place in our country – bringing in people to eliminate our soldiers – simply mean that they also want to eliminate us, as these soldiers are one of us and return to us," stressed supporter Karamoko Diarra. Citizen mobilisation comes after Mali's military authorities declared they had killed hundreds of fighters and recovered motorcycles and vehicles after a wave of 'cowardly and barbaric' coordinated attacks across the country on April 25. Authorities said troop deployments were being reorganised as part of a wider counter-offensive. The April 25 attacks, claimed by al-Qaeda-linked Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) and the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA), marked one of Mali's most serious escalations in years. The violence included the killing of Defence Minister Sadio Camara. Mali has faced years of instability linked to jihadist insurgencies and separatist movements, with attacks regularly targeting both military and civilian areas despite ongoing security operations."
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