More than 20 civilians were killed in an attack in central Mali on Saturday, according to a local official.
The assault targeted a village in the Circle of Bankass in the Mopti region, an area in Mali’s north and center where jihadist groups linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State have been active since 2012.
Bankass Mayor Moulaye Guindo reported that unidentified armed assailants attacked villagers on their way to work in their fields. “Yesterday, we counted 19 deaths, but today it is more than 20,” he said via telephone.
Mali’s insurgency began during a 2012 Tuareg uprising and has since spread across the Sahel region, reaching the northern areas of West African coastal countries. Despite costly foreign military efforts, jihadists have gained ground, killing thousands and displacing millions as they target towns, villages, and military installations.
The failure of authorities to protect civilians has contributed to political instability, leading to two coups in Mali, one in neighboring Burkina Faso, and one in Niger since 2020.
