Guwahati News Desk: The Malian villages experienced severe violence that took place on Monday.
The latest violence took place in the volatile area along the borders of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso where extremists linked to the Islamic State group are active.
The attack came just a week after the Malian army arrested two jihadi leaders who had been denounced by residents of Ouattagouna and Karou.
The authorities informed on Monday that some gunmen had attacked several villages in northern Mali, “shooting at anything that moved”.
As per the sources, these gunmen killed at least 40 people in the apparent retribution for the recent arrest of the jihadi leaders.
Meanwhile, most of the victims were in front of their houses, while some others were going to the mosque.
Regarding such Islamic extremists, they have been a threat in the area for years. The jihadi rebels first seized control of cities in northern Mali back in 2012. Although a French-led military drive forced the rebels out of the urban centers the following year, the militants quickly regrouped in rural areas and have continued to launch devastating attacks on military targets.
Furthermore, the civilians are increasingly coming under attack as well, with hundreds killed since January in a series of mass killings in villages near the border of Niger and Mali.
Photo | FPJ
