Bamako, Sep 17 (IANS) Attempts by terrorists to attack a gendarmerie complex in Bamako, the capital of Mali, have been thwarted and the situation is under control, the Malian Ministry of Security and Civil Protection said Tuesday."This morning at dawn, sensitive points in the capital were targeted by terrorist attacks, in particular the gendarmerie schools in Faladie," said the ministry. "The strong reaction of the defense and security forces made it possible to repel these attacks."
The ministry reassured the population that "the situation is fully under control" and urged them to go about their business freely, Xinhua news agency reported.
According to media reports, the shooting took place around a gendarmerie camp near Modibo Keita International Airport, about 15 km south of downtown Bamako, and began at around 5 am, local time.
According to a local source, roads in the area are blocked as of press time.
Since 2012, Mali has been facing a deep, multi-faceted crisis in the form of pro-independence and jihadist insurgencies, as well as intercommunal violence, which have left thousands dead and hundreds of thousands more displaced.
--IANS