Suspected jihadists and Tuareg separatist fighters have launched coordinated attacks across Mali, targeting several towns, military positions and a major prison in a fresh escalation of the country's conflict.

The latest violence underscores the persistent instability in Mali despite repeated assurances from the military-led government, which has ruled since coups in 2020 and 2021 promising to restore order amid a widening jihadist insurgency and separatist violence.