130 people killed in Mali Islamic militant groups are suspected
MORE THAN 130 CIVILIANS WERE KILLED IN AN ALLEGED ATTACK BY AN ISLAMIC MILITANT GROUP OVER THE WEEKEND IN MALI, WESTERN AFRICA.
The place where the genocide reportedly took place is in two villages around the ‘bancas circle’ in the mobti state of central mali and in the dialasa district, the bancas circle is where militant attacks and civilian sacrifices have been frequent.
An anonymous official who fled the scene of the incident said that “militants burned barns and houses and stole livestock” and that it was “completely lawless.”
The Mali government said the death toll was 132 and that it would be the work of an Islamic rebel group linked to al-qaeda.
The organization was also referred to as the “makina kativa”, led by amadou kupa, an Islamic evangelist of the Fulani (nomadic people living in Nigeria, Mali and elsewhere).
NOHUM TOGO, THE LEADER OF THE BANCAS REGION, TOLD AFP THAT THE ACTUAL DEATH TOLL WOULD BE HIGHER THAN THE GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED.
He said a military operation in the area 2 weeks ago led to clashes with Islamic militants.
Togo claimed that militants showed up on dozens of motorcycles and said, “you are not a Fulani Muslim,” then kidnapped hundreds of men and shot and killed people 2km away.
MALI HAS EXPERIENCED SEVERAL INCIDENTS OF VIOLENCE SINCE 2012 BY AL-QAEDA-LINKED MILITANTS AND SO-CALLED ISLAMIC STATE (IS) GROUPS.
THE AREA WHERE THE INCIDENT OCCURRED IS A PLACE WHERE THE ADMINISTRATIVE POWER OF THE GOVERNMENT IS NOT REACHABLE, SO THE VIOLENCE OF THE MILITIAS, RETALIATION BETWEEN THE TRIBES, ETC. ARE ALSO FREQUENT.
the violence that began in northern Mali has spread further in 2015 with the emergence of al-Qaeda-linked organizations in central Mali, and militant-led unrest has spread to neighboring Burkina Faso and Niger.
