Unidentified armed men killed around 40 people in an attack on the village of Djiguibombo in central Mali, local officials reported on Tuesday. The attack occurred on Monday in the Mopti region, an area plagued by jihadist groups linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State for over a decade.
Bankass Mayor Moulaye Guindo described the incident as a “very serious attack,” with armed men surrounding the village and shooting at people.
While Guindo did not provide a death toll, two local officials, speaking anonymously, confirmed around 40 fatalities. “It was carnage,” said one official, detailing how the attackers surrounded the village during a wedding, causing panic. Some villagers managed to flee, but many, mostly men, were killed.
The identity of the attackers remains unknown, and no group has claimed responsibility for the assault. Attempts to reach the army spokesperson for comment were unsuccessful.
Violence has been escalating in West Africa’s central Sahel region, with insurgencies in Mali spreading to Burkina Faso and Niger, resulting in thousands of deaths and displacing millions. This insecurity has contributed to coups in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger since 2020.
Melissa Enoch
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