At least 50 killed in coordinated jihadist attacks in Mali

Al-Qaeda-linked insurgents have killed at least 50 people in simultaneous attacks on the villages of Korikori and Gomossogou in central Mali’s Mopti region.

The assault, which took place on Wednesday evening, involved armed men who stormed the localities, opening fire on residents and ransacking properties.

According to reports from Reuters and BBC News, the victims included both civilians and members of pro-government self-defence forces.

The jihadist group Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) claimed responsibility for the massacre, stating that the raids targeted local militias allied with the Malian military.

Security sources suggest the violence may have been a retaliatory strike against the Dan Na Ambassagou militia, a community self-defence group.

In response, the Malian army reported conducting “targeted operations” in the area, claiming to have “neutralised” roughly a dozen insurgent fighters.

These killings mark a significant escalation in a nationwide offensive launched last month by an alliance between JNIM and Tuareg-dominated separatist rebels.

The ongoing instability has seen the deaths of high-ranking officials, including the former defence minister, and has led to a partial blockade of the capital, Bamako.

Since the 2020 coup, Mali’s military junta has increasingly relied on Russian paramilitary groups for security, having expelled French and UN peacekeeping forces previously stationed in the country.