An armed group attacked a wedding ceremony in central Mali, killing at least 21 people, residents reported on Wednesday, highlighting the ongoing struggle of the West African nation’s military rulers to combat rising extremist violence.
According to Bakary Guindo, president of the local youth group, the assailants rode motorcycles into Djiguibombo village in the town of Bandiagara on Monday evening, disrupting the wedding celebration.
“Most of the victims had their throats slit,” Guindo stated. Resident Hamidou Saye added that the attackers surrounded the large gathering of attendees.
The attack, for which no group has claimed responsibility, aligns with the modus operandi of the al-Qaida-linked JNIM extremist group known for targeting the region.
Since 2012, communities across central and northern Mali have endured persistent violence.
Despite the expulsion of extremist rebels from northern cities the following year with assistance from now-departed French troops, these groups have regrouped and continue to launch attacks on remote villages and security forces.
Almost four years since taking power and in the absence of foreign peacekeepers, Mali’s military rulers have faced significant challenges in controlling the violence.
Meanwhile, a 2015 peace agreement with ethnic Tuareg rebels in the north has collapsed, worsening the security crisis.