Sat Dec 21 16:31:14 UTC 2024: ## Mali Jihadist Attacks Leave at Least 20 Dead
**Bamako, Mali —** At least 20 people were killed in attacks on six villages in central Mali on Friday, December 20th, 2024, according to local officials and sources. Jihadist groups are suspected to be responsible. The attacks, targeting villages in the Bandiagara region, resulted in the burning of grain silos and the displacement of local populations.
Discrepancies exist in the exact death toll, with reports ranging from 20 to 22 fatalities. A local elected official, speaking anonymously to AFP, reported approximately 20 deaths, while a Mali security official cited 21 dead and numerous injured. Bocary Guindo, a representative of a local youth association, reported at least 22 deaths across four villages, with two additional villages burned.
These attacks are the latest in a series of escalating violence in Mali. The country has been battling jihadist groups linked to Al-Qaeda and Islamic State, as well as separatist movements and criminal gangs, since 2012. Last weekend, seven people were killed in similar attacks in central Mali. A significant attack in September targeted a police academy and the military airport in Bamako, the first such attack in the capital since 2016.
The recent surge in violence undermines the Malian junta’s claims that its shift towards Russia and increased military efforts have weakened jihadist groups. The junta, which seized power in 2020 and 2021, severed ties with France and expelled a UN stabilisation force. Numerous human rights groups continue to report abuses committed against civilians by the Malian army and its Russian allies.
First Piper 