Mali: At Least 10 Killed, 60 Injured In Latest Attacks

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Facts

  • On Saturday, at least ten civilians were killed and more than 60 injured after suspected Islamist extremists detonated car bombs in Sevare in the central Mopti region.1
  • The early morning attack destroyed about 20 buildings near an airport and adjoining military camp, which hosts Malian forces, UN peacekeepers, and Russian Wagner fighters.2
  • Earlier that day, Mali's government announced that "a terrorist attack" had been stopped in Sevare, and three vehicles filled with explosives were destroyed by army drone fire.3
  • The attack comes a day after jihadists linked with al-Qaeda claimed responsibility for killing the chief of staff of Mali's interim president and three others in an ambush near the Mauritanian border on Tuesday.4
  • In separate incidents on Saturday, the Malian army reported it neutralized some 60 terrorists in Boni, also in Mopti, and destroyed a terrorist sanctuary in the Koulikoro region.5
  • Since 2012, Mali has been rocked by a violent insurgency, while extremist attacks have long since spilled over into neighboring countries, killing thousands and uprooting millions in the process.6

Sources: 1VOA, 2Al Jazeera, 3Guardian, 4Firstpost, 5The Economic Times, and 6DW.

Narratives

  • Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by Associated Press. The fallout from the Malian government's hostility towards France and its European partners is becoming increasingly apparent. Now that the shadowy Russian Wagner group is active in Mali, the country's security situation is rapidly deteriorating. The Russian troops aren't focused on the people's security but on pursuing Moscow's interests.
  • Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by Al Jazeera. The deteriorating security crisis in West Africa is primarily the result of the West's decade-long political and military interference under the guise of fighting terrorism. It's no coincidence that anti-European sentiment is rising, while calls for Russian engagement have recently grown louder. There's hope for the region only when it's no longer possible for the West to pursue its geopolitical interests unchallenged.