Unidentified armed men massacred 31 civilians in simultaneous attacks on several Mali villages this week, then killed nine soldiers responding to the assault as violence surges in the country’s conflict-wracked centre. The attack left at least 30 dead, including women, children, and the elderly, while others were missing, the official added. Tit-for-tat killingUnrest in central Mali has killed nearly 600 civilians this year, the United Nations said last month. A jihadist group active in the region led by radical Fulani preacher Amadou Koufa has also increased suspicion of his ethnic group. More than 5,000 French troops, a regional G5 Sahel military cooperation deal and a UN peacekeeper mission in Mali have not been enough to contain the violence.

Source: The North Africa Journal July 04, 2020 16:52 UTC