UN Secretary-General António Guterres has condemned “violent extremism” following attacks in Mali targeting the army in the country led by a military junta, claimed by jihadists and Tuareg rebels.

“The Secretary-General is deeply concerned about reports of attacks in several locations in Mali,” said his spokesperson in a statement on Saturday.

“The Secretary-General calls for coordinated international support to address the evolving threat of violent extremism and terrorism in the Sahel and to respond to urgent humanitarian needs,” the statement added.

Jihadists from the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), affiliated with Al-Qaeda, claimed responsibility on Saturday for a series of coordinated attacks alongside Tuareg rebels against strategic positions held by the ruling junta, on the outskirts of Bamako and in several major cities of the Sahel country.

Guterres “strongly condemns these acts of violence, expresses his solidarity with the Malian people, and stresses the need to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure,” the statement continued.

The UN chief also called for “strong security coordination and cooperation across the region.”

Mali has been affected by conflict and jihadist violence for more than a decade. However, since the military takeover in 2020, attacks by jihadist groups and the Tuareg rebel movement, the Front for the Liberation of Azawad (FLA), have reached an unprecedented level.