Gunfire and blasts rock Mali’s capital and other cities, in apparent coordinated assault Gunmen attacked several locations in #Mali’s capital and other cities early today in a possible coordinated assault, residents and authorities say. Mali’s army says in a statement that “unidentified armed terrorist groups targeted certain locations and barracks” in Bamako and that soldiers were “engaged in eliminating the attackers.” In another statement later, it says the situation was brought under control. Mali has been plagued by insurgencies fought by affiliates of al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group, as well as a separatist rebellion in the north. An Associated Press journalist in Bamako reports hearing sustained heavy weapons and automatic rifle gunfire coming from Modibo Keïta International Airport, around 15 kilometers (9 miles) from the city center, and saw a helicopter over nearby neighborhoods. The airport is adjacent to an air base used by Mali’s air force. A resident living near the airport also reports gunfire and three helicopters patrolling overhead.

[BREAKING] Al-Qaeda in Yemen announced the "death" of their leader Khaled Batrafi According to the report of an American group active in the field of intelligence and security, #Batrafi's body was shown in a video published by al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula covered with a flag with the name and symbol of al-Qaeda. Details about the circumstances of Khaled Batrafi's death have not yet been published In February 2020, following the assassination of Qassem al-Rimi, the previous group leader in an American drone attack, Batrafi was appointed leader. The United States considers #alQaeda in #Yemen to be one of the most dangerous branches of the organization and added Batrafi to the list of "global terrorists" in 2018. Al-Qaeda in Yemen chose Saad bin Ataf al-Awlaki as its new leader. The US government previously offered a $6 million reward for information on Saad bin Atif al-Awlaki.