Mali army says 8 soldiers killed, nearly 60 'terrorists neutralised'

Mali army says 8 soldiers killed, nearly 60 ‘terrorists neutralised’

By : Guardian Nigeria

Date: 19 February 2022 11:32am WAT

Troops of the Malian army patrol the ancient town of Djenne in central Mali on February 28, 2020. - A week earlier Mali's Prime Minister announced the dismantling of the security checkpoints organized by the traditional militia hunters Dan Na Ambassagou from Dogon country. (Photo by MICHELE CATTANI / AFP)

An air raid on a rebel base “neutralised” 57 “terrorists” in northern Mali where eight soldiers were also killed in fighting, the army said Saturday.

Friday’s air force strike targeted a “terrorist base” and “violent clashes” led to the soldiers’ deaths, a statement said.

The troops were targeted by “unidentified armed men” in the Archam region near the border with restive Burkina Faso and Niger, the statement said.
[ad]
About 40 civilians were killed this week in this zone where rival jihadist groups, including the so-called Islamic State, operate, locals told AFP.

The civilians were considered to be loyal to rival jihadist groups, according to the local sources.

Mali is at the epicentre of a Sahel-wide jihadist conflict, which has killed thousands of soldiers and civilians and displaced some two million people.

Rival jihadist groups linked to al-Qaeda and Islamic State not only carry out regular attacks on national and foreign troops, but are also fighting each other for territory.
[ad]