- Armed men kill around 40 people in attack on Mali village
- Attack occurred in Mopti region, a hotspot for jihadist activity
- Violence in central Sahel region continues to spiral out of control
Unidentified armed men launched a devastating attack on the village of Djiguibombo in central Mali’s Mopti region on Monday, killing approximately 40 people, according to local officials.
The assault occurred in a region plagued by jihadist groups linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State, which have been active for over a decade. Bankass Mayor Moulaye Guindo described the attack as “very serious,” stating that armed men surrounded the village and opened fire on residents.
“It was carnage,” said a local official, speaking on condition of anonymity. “They surrounded the village where a wedding was taking place… There was panic, some people managed to flee, but many were killed, most of them men.”
The attackers’ identities and motivations remain unknown, and no group has claimed responsibility. The Malian army spokesperson was unavailable for comment.
This latest incident is part of a larger trend of spiraling violence in the central Sahel region, which has spread across Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, claiming thousands of lives and displacing millions since 2020. The instability has led to two coups in Mali, one in Burkina Faso, and one in Niger.
The situation remains volatile, with no clear end in sight to the bloodshed.
