At Least 10 Civilians Killed in Mali Drone Strikes During Wedding

Mali’s Military Conducts Drone Strikes Amid Ongoing Security Crisis

A series of drone strikes carried out by Mali’s military have resulted in the deaths of at least 10 civilians, including children, as they prepared to celebrate a wedding in the central region of San. The strikes occurred on Sunday during a security crisis that followed recent attacks on military government positions by al-Qaeda-linked fighters and Tuareg separatists.

The attacks, which took place last month, were carried out by fighters from the Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) and the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA). The strikes targeted a procession of motorbikes following one another, drawing the attention of the drones. Local officials have confirmed that about 10 people were killed in the incident.

Mali has been experiencing a critical security situation since JNIM teamed up with FLA rebels in April. A deadly offensive on April 25 and 26 targeted strategic towns, killing the country’s influential defense minister. The military has reported an unprecedented level of panic among its ranks.

The European Council on Foreign Relations’ Africa director, Alex Vines, stated that Malian authorities appear to have been caught off guard by the latest wave of attacks. Kidal and other towns in the north have been captured by FLA and JNIM, who have imposed a blockade on the capital, Bamako. Another wave of attacks was reported on May 7, killing at least 30 people in central Mali.

Mali has faced unrest since 2012, driven by the FLA, JNIM, and the Africa Corps, a Russian government-controlled paramilitary group that replaced the private Wagner Group. The country’s former colonial ruler, France, and the United Nations had deployed soldiers and peacekeepers to try to control the violence, but Bamako expelled their forces after military coups in 2020 and 2021.

The incident highlights the ongoing security crisis in Mali, where multiple armed groups are active.

Source: Al Jazeera