Al Qaeda-linked insurgents have called on Malians to rise up against the military-led government and transition to Sharia law in a rare French-language statement.
Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) launched assaults on April 25, hitting bases throughout Mali and near the capital Bamako, seizing the town of Kidal and killing the defence minister.
The group called for political parties, soldiers, religious authorities, traditional leaders and 'all segments of Malian society' to end the 'dictatorship' of the government, which it described as a 'terrorist junta'.
Mali's military leaders seized power in back-to-back coups in 2020 and 2021, and JNIM has sought to characterise the government as illegitimate.
The statement called for a 'peaceful, responsible, and inclusive transition' and for the establishment of Sharia law.
