Mali Defence Minister Sadio Camara Confirmed Killed by JNIM Suicide Car Bomb — Wife and Grandchildren Also Dead

Mali's Defence Minister General Sadio Camara (born March 22, 1979) was confirmed killed on April 26, 2026, one of the most senior government officials to die in the Sahel insurgency. A JNIM suicide car bomb struck his residence in Kati — the garrison town 15 km northwest of Bamako — in the early hours of April 25, 2026. His second wife and two grandchildren were also killed in the blast. Camara's death was publicly confirmed by multiple sources on April 26 after his fate had been listed as unknown in initial reporting. Camara was a central figure in the Malian security establishment: he participated in the 2020 coup that brought General Assimi Goïta to power, and had served as Defence Minister since then, overseeing the expulsion of French forces, the invitation of the Wagner Group/Africa Corps, and the November 2023 Kidal offensive. The Africa Report characterized his death as dealing 'a heavy blow to Bamako's military junta,' noting that he had been one of the most trusted and capable figures around Goïta. Junta leader Assimi Goïta was confirmed to be 'alive and well in a secure location' and 'remains in command of the military.' JNIM specifically claimed to have targeted Camara's residence as part of its April 25 coordinated offensive, alongside attacks on the home of junta leader Goïta, Bamako's Modibo Keïta International Airport, and other military targets.