DAKAR: Suspected militants killed at least 18 civilians in central Mali, AFP reported on Sunday citing several sources.
The incident occurred near the village of Diallassagou, adding to the longstanding violence plaguing the region.
Residents of the village recounted how the attackers opened fire on villagers just three kilometers from Diallassagou. The initial toll stood at 18 dead and 21 wounded, as confirmed by eyewitnesses and local officials. A police source said that the assailants accused the civilians of aiding the Malian army before ruthlessly executing them.
An elected official from Bandiagara, located approximately 60 kilometers from Diallassagou, said that the victims were farmers who had been displaced and sought refuge in Diallassagou. The attackers, described as unidentified armed men, mercilessly targeted these vulnerable people in their fields.
The latest attack is reminiscent of a horrific incident in June 2022 when over 130 civilians were massacred in Diallassagou, marking one of Mali’s deadliest assaults in recent memory.
Mali has been embroiled in turmoil since 2012 due to insurgencies seeking independence. The central region has become a focal point of violence since 2015, with militant factions perpetrating widespread atrocities.
The unrest has spilled over into neighboring Burkina Faso and Niger, exacerbating an already dire humanitarian crisis. Tensions between ethnic groups, particularly the Fulani herders and the Bambara and Dogon farmers, have escalated, leading to the formation of ethnic self-defence militias.
The complexity of the security situation, compounded by remote locations and unreliable information channels, often delays the confirmation of such attacks.
