Gunmen attacked a village in central Mali’s Mopti region on Sunday, killing 26 people, according to a local official.
The assault struck a village in the Circle of Bankass, a region in northern and central Mali where jihadist groups affiliated with al Qaeda and Islamic State are actively conducting an aggressive insurgency.
Bankass Mayor Moulaye Guindo reported by phone that armed assailants fired on villagers working in their fields on Sunday evening.
Guindo stated that soldiers sent to the area arrived at the village only after the attack had occurred, expressing deep concern over the escalating insecurity in the West African country.
He highlighted the challenges faced by local communities as they endure growing violence and instability.
Requests for comment from the army went unanswered. The insurgency in the Sahel region, which lies south of the Sahara, has escalated since emerging in Mali after the Tuareg rebellion in 2012.
In spite of costly military interventions, jihadists have expanded their operations into neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger.
Recently, their influence has also spread to northern regions of coastal countries like Togo, Ghana, and Ivory Coast, posing new challenges for regional security.
The ongoing conflict has led to thousands of deaths and displaced millions.
In early July, a comparable attack on a village in Bankass resulted in around 40 fatalities, while another assault at the end of May claimed over 20 lives.
The inability of authorities to safeguard civilians has played a role in triggering two coups in Mali, two in Burkina Faso, and one in Niger since 2020.
This lack of protection has further destabilised the region, exacerbating the already volatile security situation and undermining government stability.
Since then, the juntas have shifted away from their traditional Western allies, instead seeking support from Russia to combat the insurgent groups.
This pivot to Russian backing reflects a strategic realignment in their efforts to address the escalating security challenges in the region.
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