Mali Military Drone Strikes Kill At Least Ten Civilians

Drone strikes by the Malian army on Sunday killed at least 10 civilians as they prepared to celebrate a traditional mass wedding, security and local sources told AFP.

The strikes in the central region of San come amid a security crisis following large-scale coordinated attacks last month by Al-Qaeda-linked jihadists and Tuareg separatists, which have rocked the country’s ruling junta.

A resident of the Tene locality where the strikes took place told AFP that “10 of our children” were killed.

“What was supposed to be a moment of joy in the village turned into immense sorrow,” he said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

A security source, who requested anonymity for safety reasons, confirmed the strikes.

“The tragedy occurred as the villagers were preparing the second edition of this traditional collective wedding, a major cultural event for this community,” he told AFP.

The strikes targeted “a procession of motorbikes following one another”, he added.

“That is certainly what drew the attention of the drones.”

A local elected official also confirmed to AFP that around 10 people had been killed.

“A wedding was about to take place when the drones killed at least 10 civilians. It is truly a time of mourning,” he told AFP.

Mali has been in a critical security condition since the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM) teamed up with Tuareg rebels of the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) in April to target ruling junta positions.

A coordinated deadly offensive on April 25 and 26 targeted strategic towns and killed the country’s influential defence minister.

Kidal and other towns and villages in the north were captured and are now controlled by the FLA and the jihadists, who have since imposed a blockade on the capital, Bamako.

Since 2012, Mali has faced a deepening security crisis driven by violence affiliated with al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group, as well as separatists and community-based criminal networks.

AFP