Mali PM Urges Calm After Key Town Falls and Defense Minister Killed

Mali’s Prime Minister Abdoulaye Maiga has called on citizens “not to give in to panic” after a series of coordinated attacks. Jihadist fighters and Tuareg separatists captured the strategic northern town of Kidal. The country’s defense minister was also killed in the fighting. The fall of Kidal marks a major setback for the government. The town is a key military and political center in northern Mali. The prime minister’s plea aims to prevent widespread fear as the government assesses the situation.