Deadly double attack hits 2 central Mali villages as violence spreads

BAMAKO, Mali — A recent wave of attacks by an armed group has resulted in multiple casualties in two villages in central Mali, according to authorities.

The attacks, claimed by Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), come on the heels of previous assaults on the government by JNIM and the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA), a Tuareg separatist group seeking independence in northern Mali.

Following a 2020 coup, Mali has been under the control of a military junta that has turned to Russia for security assistance, prompting the departure of traditional allies like France and the U.N. peacekeeping mission.

The recent attacks, which targeted pro-government militias, occurred in the villages of Kori Kori and Gomossogou, resulting in casualties and injuries. The governor condemned the attacks as “cowardly” and “barbaric.”

JNIM has also imposed a partial blockade on the capital city of Bamako, exacerbating Mali’s security crisis.