Jihadists' deadly ambush in Mali leaves over 50 dead
Jihadists are suspected to have led a massacre in northern Mali. The attackers seemed intent on causing as many casualties as possible, according to witnesses. Recent reports indicate there are over 50 victims from the attack.
The bloody attack occurred on Friday near the town of Kobe, roughly 19 miles from the city of Gao. This area has seen activity from groups allied with ISIS and Al-Qaeda for decades. The assault targeted a convoy of vehicles protected by Malian soldiers and mercenaries from the Russian Wagner Group, resulting in more than 50 deaths.
"People were jumping out of vehicles to escape. There were many civilian dead and injured," a local government representative said on Saturday. "The jihadists prepared an ambush on a civilian convoy escorted by Malian soldiers and Wagner mercenaries," added a councilor from the local community in a report for AFP.
The hospital in Gao reported receiving 56 bodies. It is still unknown how many Malian soldiers were killed.
Earlier, the AFP agency, citing a local councilor, reported that the convoy was escorted by Malian soldiers and mercenaries from the Russian Wagner Group and was presumably attacked by jihadists.
A representative of the Malian transport union mentioned that one of the drivers who managed to escape said the jihadists "shot at everyone indiscriminately to ensure as many casualties as possible."
Another councilor stated that the convoy of 22 minibuses carrying civilians was secured by about ten vehicles with Malian soldiers and Wagner Group mercenaries, while the jihadists were believed to be members of ISIS.
The Malian army has not officially confirmed this information, and as of Saturday morning, ISIS had not claimed responsibility for the attack.
Since 2012, Mali has been grappling with a severe security crisis, partly due to attacks from groups linked to Al-Qaeda and ISIS, as well as criminal gangs. According to the International Organization for Migration, thousands of people have already died in these attacks, and over 3.2 million have been forced to leave their homes.
Wagner Group
The Wagner Group operates in several African countries, including the Central African Republic, Sudan, Libya, and Mozambique. The group undertakes military operations supporting local regimes. Wagner Group has faced multiple accusations of human rights violations, including executions and torture.
Experts say the presence of Wagner operatives in Africa is linked to Russia's geopolitical interests, such as access to Africa's natural resources, including gold and diamonds.
