Mali's army on Thursday said it had carried out air strikes against al-Qaeda affiliated Macina Katiba jihadists in the country's centre following the massacre of at least 132 civilians.

It carried out strikes between Monday and Wednesday around Bankass and Segue, near where the mass killing took place, and also further afield around Djenne and Tenenkou, the army said in a statement.

"These actions resulted from efforts to search for and gather information on the perpetrators of the attacks against civilians on 18 June," the statement said.

The army did not provide any assessment of the operations, which no other sources have confirmed.

Mali suffered one of its worst civilian killings over the weekend, the latest in an ongoing series of massacres across the Sahel.

According to the government, 132 civilians were killed in Diallassagou and two surrounding villages, a few dozen kilometres (miles) from the town of Bankass.

The Malian army described the killings as a backlash against the "strong pressure" it says it has put them under in recent months.

The UN, France and other international observers have expressed grave concern about the deteriorating security situation in Mali.

Dozens of civilians protested on Tuesday in Bankass to demand state protection.

Mali has since 2012 been rocked by jihadist insurgencies.

Violence began in the north and then spread to the centre and neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger.

Related Links
Africa News - Resources, Health, Food

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

Kenya's deputy president vows to deport Chinese traders if elected
Nairobi (AFP) June 22, 2022
Kenya's Deputy President William Ruto has said he would deport Chinese nationals in jobs that could be done by locals if he wins elections in August, sparking a mixed reaction online. East Africa's biggest economy will hold presidential and parliamentary polls on August 9, against a backdrop of economic hardship in the wake of the Covid pandemic and the war in Ukraine. "That Chinese nationals are roasting maize and selling mobile phones, we will deport all of them back to their country," Ruto ... read more