Mali’s military has announced that its defence minister, Sadio Camara, will be buried on Thursday following his assassination over the weekend. The 47 year old was killed on Saturday when a car bomb exploded at his residence in Kati, also claiming the lives of his wife and two granddaughters.
The bombing formed part of a broader two day offensive carried out by jihadist fighters and Tuareg separatist groups targeting the ruling military junta and allied Russian paramilitary forces.
Camara had been regarded as a key figure behind the government’s shift toward Russia, a move that followed the breakdown of relations with long standing Western partners, including former colonial power France.
Russian mercenaries from the Africa Corps have been backing Mali’s military authorities in their ongoing conflict with insurgent groups in the northern regions of the country.
In a national address on Tuesday, junta leader Assimi Goita honored Camara as a “valiant officer,” describing his death as a significant loss for the nation. Authorities have declared two days of national mourning in response to the killing.
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