At least 48 civilians were killed in weekend attacks on camps in Mali’s Menaka region, which the Daoussahak community blamed on Islamic State-linked militants.
Other accounts suggested the attacks may have been retaliation for alleged abuses by pro-government forces. The attackers, reportedly riding motorcycles, struck settlements near Tinabow and Tagadayat, about 50 kilometres from Menaka town. The Daoussahak community’s executive bureau said 48 people were killed in Tagadayat and called for emergency aid for survivors who fled toward Menaka.
Security and local sources cited by AFP put the death toll at more than 40, with some saying around 50 people died. Reuters, citing four security sources and local officials, reported early counts ranging from 48 to more than 70 and said the total was still being determined. Those sources said the violence appeared to follow alleged abuses by members of the MSA militia and Russia’s Africa Corps against people suspected of giving information to Islamic State.
Neither group’s role was independently confirmed. Witness accounts described gunmen firing on residents, setting homes on fire and stealing livestock. Mali’s military said it had carried out strikes in the area on Saturday.
The episode adds to insecurity in the Sahel, where armed groups, government forces and allied militias have fought for years.