UPDATE 1-Mali military leader Goita meets Russian ambassador after attacks, office says

The ​leader of Mali's military ‌government, Assimi ​Goita, met on Tuesday with the Russian ambassador, according to a ‌social media post from his office, his first public appearance since insurgents carried out simultaneous attacks on Saturday.

West ‌Africa's al Qaeda affiliate and a Tuareg-dominated separatist group ‌hit Mali's main army base and the area near Bamako's airport, while driving Russian soldiers, who were deployed in support ⁠of ​government forces, ⁠out of Kidal in the north. Mali's defence minister, Sadio Camara, ⁠died in the assault, while Goita had not been seen ​until the social media post published on Tuesday afternoon.

The ⁠scale and the scope of the offensive on multiple ⁠sites across ​the vast West African country demonstrated an unprecedented ability to coordinate fighters from different groups with ⁠different goals and strike at the heart of the military ⁠government. Mali's ⁠military government has said the situation is under control.

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