President Emmanuel Macron said French forces had "neutralised" several dozen terrorists in Mali on Saturday, as he visited West Africa with a pledge to give new force to the battle against Islamist militants in the region.

The operation in the flashpoint city of Mopti in central Mali came just weeks after 13 French soldiers were killed in a helicopter crash as they were hunting down terrorists in the troubled country.

Macron said in a speech to the French community in Ivory Coast that 33 "terrorists" had been "neutralised", a term a source close to the presidency said meant they had been killed.

French soldiers also released two Malian gendarmes being held by terrorists, he said.

"This considerable success shows the commitment of our forces, the support that we bring to Mali, to the region and to our own security," he said.&nbsp;

"We have had losses, we also have victories this morning thanks to the commitment of our soldiers and Operation Barkhane," he said, referring to the France's military operation against Islamist militants in the Sahel.&nbsp;

Last month's crash was the biggest single-day loss for the French military in nearly four decades and raised fresh questions about the effectiveness of France's 4,500-member operation.

Macron arrived in Ivory Coast on Friday to celebrate Christmas with French troops but the terrorist&nbsp;insurgency in the region is a top item on Macron's agenda during his 48-hour stay in the region.

'Must not let threat flourish'

Away from weeks of protest strikes gripping France, Macron's personal chef travelled with him to cook dinner for around 1,000 troops at the military base in Port-Bouet, near Abidjan's airport.

"I hope we can give new depth, new commitments, a new force to this operation and win a fight that is key to the stability and security of the Sahel," the French leader told the troops.

"We will keep up the fight against terrorists. We will continue to do so with our African partners and with our European and international partners," he said. "Because if we let the threat flourish, it will impact us too."

Despite the French troop presence and a 13,000-strong UN peacekeeping force in Mali, the conflict that erupted in 2012 has engulfed the centre of the country and spread to neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger.

The leaders of five Sahel nations are due to attend a summit in Paris on January 13, when Macron said they would clarify the "political and strategic framework" of the operation against the militants.

On Sunday, Macron will pay a flying visit for talks with President Mahamadou Issoufou of Niger, where terrorist&nbsp;attacks are frequent.

Macron spent Christmas in 2017 with troops deployed to Niger and went last year to Chad.&nbsp;

In Abidjan, he said he wanted to build a new relationship between France and Ivory Coast, in particular helping youth and developing sport.

President Emmanuel Macron said French forces had "neutralised" several dozen terrorists in Mali on Saturday, as he visited West Africa with a pledge to give new force to the battle against Islamist militants in the region.

President Emmanuel Macron said French forces had "neutralised" several dozen terrorists in Mali on Saturday, as he visited West Africa with a pledge to give new force to the battle against Islamist militants in the region. The operation in the flashpoint city of Mopti in central Mali came just weeks after 13 French soldiers were killed in a helicopter crash as they were hunting down terrorists in the troubled country. Macron said in a speech to the French community in Ivory Coast that 33 "terrorists" had been "neutralised", a term a source close to the presidency said meant they had been killed. French soldiers also released two Malian gendarmes being held by terrorists, he said. "This considerable success shows the commitment of our forces, the support that we bring to Mali, to the region and to our own security," he said. "We have had losses, we also have victories this morning thanks to the commitment of our soldiers and Operation Barkhane," he said, referring to the France's military operation against Islamist militants in the Sahel. Last month's crash was the biggest single-day loss for the French military in nearly four decades and raised fresh questions about the effectiveness of France's 4,500-member operation. Macron arrived in Ivory Coast on Friday to celebrate Christmas with French troops but the terrorist insurgency in the region is a top item on Macron's agenda during his 48-hour stay in the region. 'Must not let threat flourish' Away from weeks of protest strikes gripping France, Macron's personal chef travelled with him to cook dinner for around 1,000 troops at the military base in Port-Bouet, near Abidjan's airport. "I hope we can give new depth, new commitments, a new force to this operation and win a fight that is key to the stability and security of the Sahel," the French leader told the troops. "We will keep up the fight against terrorists. We will continue to do so with our African partners and with our European and international partners," he said. "Because if we let the threat flourish, it will impact us too." Despite the French troop presence and a 13,000-strong UN peacekeeping force in Mali, the conflict that erupted in 2012 has engulfed the centre of the country and spread to neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger. The leaders of five Sahel nations are due to attend a summit in Paris on January 13, when Macron said they would clarify the "political and strategic framework" of the operation against the militants. On Sunday, Macron will pay a flying visit for talks with President Mahamadou Issoufou of Niger, where terrorist attacks are frequent. Macron spent Christmas in 2017 with troops deployed to Niger and went last year to Chad. In Abidjan, he said he wanted to build a new relationship between France and Ivory Coast, in particular helping youth and developing sport.

Macron says French forces 'neutralise' over 30 terrorists in Mali

The black boxes from two <a href="https://www.wionews.com/.../thirteen-french-soldiers-fighting-jihadists-in- mali-killed-in-helicopter-crash-264659">French military helicopters</a> that collided in Mali killing 13 soldiers have been found, a French military spokesman said Wednesday.

The crash occurred late Monday during an operation against jihadists in the Liptako region, near the borders with Burkina Faso and Niger. It was the heaviest single loss for the French military in nearly four decades.

"The two black boxes from the helicopters have been recovered, they will be handed over to the relevant authorities to be analysed," the spokesman, Colonel Frederic Barbry, told BFMTV.

Three helicopters and a squadron of Mirage jets had arrived on Monday to support ground troops pursuing Islamist extremists.

Shortly after troops engaged the insurgents, who fled on motorbikes and in a pickup truck, a Tiger attack helicopter collided with a Cougar military transport helicopter, killing all 13 onboard the two aircraft.

Barbry said no theory as to the cause of the crash is being ruled out, and it would be up to the investigation team to determine why the collision occurred.

The conditions for flying at the time of the crash were "extremely difficult" because it was a dark night with no moonlight, the spokesman said.

"The pilots work with night vision binoculars that intensify the residual light when there is no moon, no sources of artificial light like in cities, as is the case in this region."

Barbry said the soldiers' bodies will be repatriated to the French mainland.

The accident brought to 41 the number of French troops killed in the Sahel region since Paris intervened against Al-Qaeda-affiliated jihadists in Mali in 2013.

It also underscored the challenge for France of trying to control an insurgency in an area the size of Western Europe as a time of escalating violence.

The black boxes from two French military helicopters that collided in Mali killing 13 soldiers have been found, a French military spokesman said Wednesday. The crash occurred late Monday during an operation against jihadists in the Liptako region, near the borders with Burkina Faso and Niger.

The black boxes from two French military helicopters that collided in Mali killing 13 soldiers have been found, a French military spokesman said Wednesday. The crash occurred late Monday during an operation against jihadists in the Liptako region, near the borders with Burkina Faso and Niger. It was the heaviest single loss for the French military in nearly four decades. "The two black boxes from the helicopters have been recovered, they will be handed over to the relevant authorities to be analysed," the spokesman, Colonel Frederic Barbry, told BFMTV. Three helicopters and a squadron of Mirage jets had arrived on Monday to support ground troops pursuing Islamist extremists. Shortly after troops engaged the insurgents, who fled on motorbikes and in a pickup truck, a Tiger attack helicopter collided with a Cougar military transport helicopter, killing all 13 onboard the two aircraft. Barbry said no theory as to the cause of the crash is being ruled out, and it would be up to the investigation team to determine why the collision occurred. The conditions for flying at the time of the crash were "extremely difficult" because it was a dark night with no moonlight, the spokesman said. "The pilots work with night vision binoculars that intensify the residual light when there is no moon, no sources of artificial light like in cities, as is the case in this region." Barbry said the soldiers' bodies will be repatriated to the French mainland. The accident brought to 41 the number of French troops killed in the Sahel region since Paris intervened against Al-Qaeda-affiliated jihadists in Mali in 2013. It also underscored the challenge for France of trying to control an insurgency in an area the size of Western Europe as a time of escalating violence.

Black boxes from crashed helicopters found in Mali

Thirteen French soldiers fighting jihadists in Mali killed in helicopter crash

Thirteen French soldiers fighting jihadists in Mali were killed in an accident between two helicopters, the French presidency said on Tuesday, the single biggest loss of French troops in combat in the region since intervening there in 2013.

France has a 4,500-strong Barkhane force countering Islamist insurgencies in the Sahel region, where violence by militants linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State in the sparely-populated area has proliferated in recent years.

"The president announces with deep sadness the death of 13 French troops in Mali on the evening of November 25, in an accident between their two helicopters during a combat mission against jihadists," the statement from the president's office said.

The circumstances surrounding the accident were not immediately clear. France's Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly said the incident occurred while the helicopters were in flight.

The Defence Ministry said the helicopters involved were a Tiger and Cougar and the operation took place in central Mali.

"They were supporting commandos from the Barkhane force who were engaged with armed terrorists," the ministry said in a statement.

France, the former colonial power in the region, intervened in Mali six years ago to drive out Islamist militants who had occupied the north and still use swathes of the country as a launchpad for attacks across the largely desert region.

Paris has since kept troops in the region as part of Barkhane counter-terrorism operations, while western powers have provided funding to a regional force made up of soldiers from Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Chad, and Mauritania.

France has been frustrated that it is taking the brunt of operations on the ground, although other European countries have provided logistical support, trainers and some special forces.

By reinforcing African forces, Paris sees an eventual exit strategy for what is its biggest foreign deployment, diplomats say.

Monday's deaths bring the total number of French soldiers killed in the Sahel to 28.

Thirteen French soldiers fighting jihadists in Mali were killed in an accident between two helicopters, the French presidency said on Tuesday, the single biggest loss of French troops in combat in the region since intervening there in 2013.

Thirteen French soldiers fighting jihadists in Mali were killed in an accident between two helicopters, the French presidency said on Tuesday, the single biggest loss of French troops in combat in the region since intervening there in 2013. France has a 4,500-strong Barkhane force countering Islamist insurgencies in the Sahel region, where violence by militants linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State in the sparely-populated area has proliferated in recent years. "The president announces with deep sadness the death of 13 French troops in Mali on the evening of November 25, in an accident between their two helicopters during a combat mission against jihadists," the statement from the president's office said. The circumstances surrounding the accident were not immediately clear. France's Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly said the incident occurred while the helicopters were in flight. The Defence Ministry said the helicopters involved were a Tiger and Cougar and the operation took place in central Mali. "They were supporting commandos from the Barkhane force who were engaged with armed terrorists," the ministry said in a statement. France, the former colonial power in the region, intervened in Mali six years ago to drive out Islamist militants who had occupied the north and still use swathes of the country as a launchpad for attacks across the largely desert region. Paris has since kept troops in the region as part of Barkhane counter-terrorism operations, while western powers have provided funding to a regional force made up of soldiers from Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Chad, and Mauritania. France has been frustrated that it is taking the brunt of operations on the ground, although other European countries have provided logistical support, trainers and some special forces. By reinforcing African forces, Paris sees an eventual exit strategy for what is its biggest foreign deployment, diplomats say. Monday's deaths bring the total number of French soldiers killed in the Sahel to 28.

Thirteen French helicopter troops killed in Mali combat operation

Mali's President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita has appealed for citizens to unite behind the country's army after the latest <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/attack-on-mali-military-post-kills-53-soldiers-259378">deadly militant strike</a> killed more than 40 soldiers.

The president has declared three days of mourning after Friday's attack on an army base in Indelimane, the northeast of the country near the border with Niger.

"In these particularly serious circumstances where the stability and existence of our country are at stake, our only response must be national unity, the sacred union around our national army," he said in a statement Monday night.

He added that the support of foreign forces, including from France, Africa and the United Nations, is "necessary more than ever".

Friday's assault was the latest to target Mali's military, which is struggling to contain an Islamist insurgency that began in the north and spread to the centre of the country. At least 40 troops were killed a month ago in a double attack near the Burkina Faso border.

Islamic State-allied militants claimed responsibility for the Indelimane strike during which gunmen on motorbikes attacked the base in three different groups, according to Malian army sources and a UN document seen by AFP.

Authorities say at least 49 soldiers were killed.

Over the weekend two more Malian soldiers were also killed by a roadside bomb and a French soldier was also killed when his vehicle hit an improvised explosive device.

Northern Mali fell into the hands of jihadists in 2012 before the militants were forced out by a French-led military intervention. But the jihadists have regrouped to carry out hit-and-run strikes in violence that has spread to central Mali.

France still has around 4,500 troops in the country as part of its Barkhane operation and is looking to hand more responsibility to local forces.

French Armed Forces Minister, Florence Parly, on an official visit to the Sahel called for "patience" in the battle against the militants.

"This is a fight where we have to have patience," she said on a visit to Barkhane operations in the Chad capital N'Djamena. "We still need time for the local forces to build up their resilience."

Neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger have also been infiltrated by insurgents, at the cost of hundreds of lives.

The G5 Sahel, a five-nation joint taskforce set up in 2014 to tackle the jihadist threat, is also active in the region. It comprises troops from Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Chad.

Mali's President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita has appealed for citizens to unite behind the country's army after the latest deadly militant strike killed more than 40 soldiers.

Mali's President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita has appealed for citizens to unite behind the country's army after the latest deadly militant strike killed more than 40 soldiers. The president has declared three days of mourning after Friday's attack on an army base in Indelimane, the northeast of the country near the border with Niger. "In these particularly serious circumstances where the stability and existence of our country are at stake, our only response must be national unity, the sacred union around our national army," he said in a statement Monday night. He added that the support of foreign forces, including from France, Africa and the United Nations, is "necessary more than ever". Friday's assault was the latest to target Mali's military, which is struggling to contain an Islamist insurgency that began in the north and spread to the centre of the country. At least 40 troops were killed a month ago in a double attack near the Burkina Faso border. Islamic State-allied militants claimed responsibility for the Indelimane strike during which gunmen on motorbikes attacked the base in three different groups, according to Malian army sources and a UN document seen by AFP. Authorities say at least 49 soldiers were killed. Over the weekend two more Malian soldiers were also killed by a roadside bomb and a French soldier was also killed when his vehicle hit an improvised explosive device. Northern Mali fell into the hands of jihadists in 2012 before the militants were forced out by a French-led military intervention. But the jihadists have regrouped to carry out hit-and-run strikes in violence that has spread to central Mali. France still has around 4,500 troops in the country as part of its Barkhane operation and is looking to hand more responsibility to local forces. French Armed Forces Minister, Florence Parly, on an official visit to the Sahel called for "patience" in the battle against the militants. "This is a fight where we have to have patience," she said on a visit to Barkhane operations in the Chad capital N'Djamena. "We still need time for the local forces to build up their resilience." Neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger have also been infiltrated by insurgents, at the cost of hundreds of lives. The G5 Sahel, a five-nation joint taskforce set up in 2014 to tackle the jihadist threat, is also active in the region. It comprises troops from Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Chad.

Mali president says stability at stake after deadly army base attack

Fifty-three soldiers were killed Friday in a "terrorist attack" on a Mali military post in the northeast of the country, the government said.

The assault is one of the deadliest strikes against Mali's military in recent Islamist militant violence.

A civilian was also killed at the outpost in Indelimane, in the Menaka region, close to the border with Niger, the country's communication minister Yaya Sangare said on Twitter.

"The situation is under control. A search and the process of identifying the bodies is continuing," he added, after giving the latest update on the death toll.&nbsp;

He said 10 survivors were found at the outpost, which suffered "significant" damage.&nbsp;

No further details of the attack were given.&nbsp;

The Malian government earlier condemned the "terrorist attack," saying it had left numerous dead or wounded but without giving a precise toll.

"Reinforcements have been dispatched to secure the area and hunt down the attackers," the statement added.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for Friday's assault.

It comes a month after two jihadist assaults killed 40 soldiers near the border with Burkina Faso, however, several sources said the death toll had been downplayed.&nbsp;

The deadly assault sparked protests outside a military camp in the country's capital Bamako.

Mali's army has been struggling in the face of a jihadist revolt that has spread from the arid north to its centre, an ethnically mixed and volatile region.

The recent assaults are also a humiliation for the so-called G5 Sahel force -- a much-trumpeted initiative under which five countries created a joint 5,000-man anti-terror force -- and for France, which is committed to shoring up the fragile region.

Northern Mali came under the control of Al-Qaeda linked jihadists after Mali's army failed to quash a rebellion there in 2012.&nbsp;

A French-led military campaign was launched against the jihadists, pushing them back a year later.

But the jihadists have regrouped and widened their hit-and-run raids and landmine attacks to central and southern Mali.

The violence has also spilt over into Burkina Faso and Niger where militants have exploited existing inter-communal strife, leaving hundreds dead.

Fifty-three soldiers were killed Friday in a "terrorist attack" on a Mali military post in the northeast of the country, the government said. The assault is one of the deadliest strikes against Mali's military in recent Islamist militant violence.

Fifty-three soldiers were killed Friday in a "terrorist attack" on a Mali military post in the northeast of the country, the government said. The assault is one of the deadliest strikes against Mali's military in recent Islamist militant violence. A civilian was also killed at the outpost in Indelimane, in the Menaka region, close to the border with Niger, the country's communication minister Yaya Sangare said on Twitter. "The situation is under control. A search and the process of identifying the bodies is continuing," he added, after giving the latest update on the death toll. He said 10 survivors were found at the outpost, which suffered "significant" damage. No further details of the attack were given. The Malian government earlier condemned the "terrorist attack," saying it had left numerous dead or wounded but without giving a precise toll. "Reinforcements have been dispatched to secure the area and hunt down the attackers," the statement added. No group immediately claimed responsibility for Friday's assault. It comes a month after two jihadist assaults killed 40 soldiers near the border with Burkina Faso, however, several sources said the death toll had been downplayed. The deadly assault sparked protests outside a military camp in the country's capital Bamako. Mali's army has been struggling in the face of a jihadist revolt that has spread from the arid north to its centre, an ethnically mixed and volatile region. The recent assaults are also a humiliation for the so-called G5 Sahel force -- a much-trumpeted initiative under which five countries created a joint 5,000-man anti-terror force -- and for France, which is committed to shoring up the fragile region. Northern Mali came under the control of Al-Qaeda linked jihadists after Mali's army failed to quash a rebellion there in 2012. A French-led military campaign was launched against the jihadists, pushing them back a year later. But the jihadists have regrouped and widened their hit-and-run raids and landmine attacks to central and southern Mali. The violence has also spilt over into Burkina Faso and Niger where militants have exploited existing inter-communal strife, leaving hundreds dead.

Attack on Mali military post kills 53 soldiers

Six people were killed late Friday when unknown assailants attacked a post held by armed pro-government groups in strife-torn northeastern Mali, the groups said in a statement.

Four more people were missing after the attack in Aguelhok, an alliance of pro-government forces calling itself Platform of the June 2014 Movements said.

The security situation in Mali has been deteriorating steadily with separatists, Salafists and jihadists mounting deadly insurrections since 2012.

No military or political solution appears in sight for Mali, despite the deployment of French, African and U.N. troops in the country.

Northern Mali came under the control of Al-Qaeda linked jihadists after Mali's army failed to quash a Tuareg rebellion in 2012.

The following year, a French-led military campaign was launched against the jihadists, pushing them back.

But the jihadist regrouped and widened their trademark hit-and-run raids and road mine attacks to central and southern Mali and from there into Burkina Faso and Niger where they often fan existing inter-communal strife which has left hundreds dead.

Six people were killed late Friday when unknown assailants attacked a post held by armed pro-government groups in strife-torn northeastern Mali, the groups said in a statement.

Six people were killed late Friday when unknown assailants attacked a post held by armed pro-government groups in strife-torn northeastern Mali, the groups said in a statement. Four more people were missing after the attack in Aguelhok, an alliance of pro-government forces calling itself Platform of the June 2014 Movements said. The security situation in Mali has been deteriorating steadily with separatists, Salafists and jihadists mounting deadly insurrections since 2012. No military or political solution appears in sight for Mali, despite the deployment of French, African and U.N. troops in the country. Northern Mali came under the control of Al-Qaeda linked jihadists after Mali's army failed to quash a Tuareg rebellion in 2012. The following year, a French-led military campaign was launched against the jihadists, pushing them back. But the jihadist regrouped and widened their trademark hit-and-run raids and road mine attacks to central and southern Mali and from there into Burkina Faso and Niger where they often fan existing inter-communal strife which has left hundreds dead.

Six killed in Mali attack on pro-government forces

Malian President&nbsp;Ibrahim Boubacar Keita on Sunday rejected as speculation talk of a military coup after recent jihadist attacks left dozens of soldiers dead.

Keita said lessons would be learned after 38 soldiers were killed in two attacks last week near the border with Burkina Faso, a death toll that observers say is probably an underestimate.

"No military coup will prevail in Mali, let it be said," the president said in remarks recorded Saturday and released on Sunday. "And I don't think this is on the agenda at all and cannot worry us," he added.

"We are at war," the president said after the attacks last Monday and Tuesday in the towns of Boulkessy and Mondoro, which evoked memories of a 2012 army coup in the former French colony.

"What happened at Boulkessy could unfortunately happen again," Keita said.

The assailants used heavily armed vehicles in the raids on the two military camps, during which the government said troops killed 15 jihadists.

The jihadists made off with a large quantity of arms, ammunition and equipment -- local media said about 20 vehicles were captured, including some mounted with machine guns.

Sources said Malian special forces and foreign allies, including French warplanes and helicopters, helped to quash the attacks.

Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita on Sunday rejected as speculation talk of a military coup after recent jihadist attacks left dozens of soldiers dead. Keita said lessons would be learned after 38 soldiers were killed in two attacks last week near the border with Burkina Faso, a death toll that observers say is probably an underestimate.

Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita on Sunday rejected as speculation talk of a military coup after recent jihadist attacks left dozens of soldiers dead. Keita said lessons would be learned after 38 soldiers were killed in two attacks last week near the border with Burkina Faso, a death toll that observers say is probably an underestimate. "No military coup will prevail in Mali, let it be said," the president said in remarks recorded Saturday and released on Sunday. "And I don't think this is on the agenda at all and cannot worry us," he added. "We are at war," the president said after the attacks last Monday and Tuesday in the towns of Boulkessy and Mondoro, which evoked memories of a 2012 army coup in the former French colony. "What happened at Boulkessy could unfortunately happen again," Keita said. The assailants used heavily armed vehicles in the raids on the two military camps, during which the government said troops killed 15 jihadists. The jihadists made off with a large quantity of arms, ammunition and equipment -- local media said about 20 vehicles were captured, including some mounted with machine guns. Sources said Malian special forces and foreign allies, including French warplanes and helicopters, helped to quash the attacks.

Mali president dismisses coup speculation

Sandstorms, thunderstorms and villagers reluctant to speak -- these were the conditions faced by hundreds of French troops and 100 allied Malians who were searching for 50-odd jihadists in Mali's savannas during an operation in Gourma district.

French troops face heat, silence during hunt for jihadists in Mali

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/95-killed-in-attack-on-central-mali-village-226047">Mali's council of ministers has fired the governor</a> of its central Mopti region after gunmen killed dozens of people in the latest of a spate of ethnic killings there, it said in a statement.

Attackers believed to belong to the Fulani ethnic group raided a rival ethnic Dogon village in Bankass on Sunday and Monday, killing 35 people, according to the government, although a local authority maintains the real figure is 95 deaths. Neither has produced evidence for these tolls.

The government also declared three days of national mourning in the statement overnight.

"Drawing lessons from this tragedy, the council of ministers dismissed the Mopti region's governor," the statement read. Sidy Alassane Toure was the latest government official to lose his job as a result of authorities' failure to contain spiralling ethnic violence around Mopti.

After an attack in March that killed more than 150 Fulani villagers in Mali's worst act of violence in years, President Boubacar Keita dismissed two top army officials and his prime minister and entire government resigned.

The new prime minister, Boubou Cisse, visited the scene of this week's killing on Tuesday and said that among the dead were 24 children, some of whom had been shot in the back.

Violence between Dogon hunters and Fulani herders has killed hundreds since January, and the Malian government is seen as having lost its grip over parts of the country suffering jihadist infiltration.

French forces intervened in Mali, a former French colony in West Africa, in 2013 to push back a jihadist advance from the north but the militants have since regrouped and turned parts of north and central Mali into a launchpad for attacks across the region.

The militants have also proved adept at stoking tensions between rival ethnic groups, and intercommunal clashes have this year overtaken jihadist attacks as a leading cause of violent death in Mali, figures from the Armed Conflict Location &amp; Event Data Project (ACLED) show.

Malians have grown increasingly frustrated by failures of the government to protect them from both jihadist onslaughts and ethnic reprisals.

Mali's council of ministers has fired the governor of its central Mopti region after gunmen killed dozens of people in the latest of a spate of ethnic killings there, it said in a statement.

Mali's council of ministers has fired the governor of its central Mopti region after gunmen killed dozens of people in the latest of a spate of ethnic killings there, it said in a statement. Attackers believed to belong to the Fulani ethnic group raided a rival ethnic Dogon village in Bankass on Sunday and Monday, killing 35 people, according to the government, although a local authority maintains the real figure is 95 deaths. Neither has produced evidence for these tolls. The government also declared three days of national mourning in the statement overnight. "Drawing lessons from this tragedy, the council of ministers dismissed the Mopti region's governor," the statement read. Sidy Alassane Toure was the latest government official to lose his job as a result of authorities' failure to contain spiralling ethnic violence around Mopti. After an attack in March that killed more than 150 Fulani villagers in Mali's worst act of violence in years, President Boubacar Keita dismissed two top army officials and his prime minister and entire government resigned. The new prime minister, Boubou Cisse, visited the scene of this week's killing on Tuesday and said that among the dead were 24 children, some of whom had been shot in the back. Violence between Dogon hunters and Fulani herders has killed hundreds since January, and the Malian government is seen as having lost its grip over parts of the country suffering jihadist infiltration. French forces intervened in Mali, a former French colony in West Africa, in 2013 to push back a jihadist advance from the north but the militants have since regrouped and turned parts of north and central Mali into a launchpad for attacks across the region. The militants have also proved adept at stoking tensions between rival ethnic groups, and intercommunal clashes have this year overtaken jihadist attacks as a leading cause of violent death in Mali, figures from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) show. Malians have grown increasingly frustrated by failures of the government to protect them from both jihadist onslaughts and ethnic reprisals.

Mali fires regional governor after attack that killed dozens

Ninety-five people in a central Malian village inhabited by the Dogon community were killed by gunmen in an overnight attack, a local official and a security source said Monday, giving a provisional toll.

"Right now we have 95 dead civilians. The bodies are burned, we are continuing to look for others," an official in Koundou district, where the village of Sobane-Kou is located, told AFP.

A Malian security source at the site of the massacre said, "a Dogon village has been virtually wiped out".

The local official said the attackers came and "started shooting, pillaging and burning."&nbsp;

The village had about 300 inhabitants, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The attack appears to be the latest incident in a cycle of violence in central Mali, an ethnic mosaic.

The tit-for-tat began when a predominantly Fulani jihadist group led by preacher Amadou Koufa surfaced in the region and started targeting the Bambara and Dogon ethnic groups.

The Fulani, also known as Peul, are primarily cattle breeders and traders, while the Bambara and Dogon are traditionally sedentary farmers.&nbsp;

On May 16, the UN mission in Mali (MINUSMA) announced it had recorded "at least 488 deaths" in attacks on Fulanis in the central regions of Mopti and Segou since January 2018.

In the bloodiest raid, about 160 Fulani villagers were slaughtered in March at Ogossagou, near the border with Burkina Faso, by suspected Dogon hunters.

MINUSMA said that also since January 2018, armed Fulanis had "caused 63 deaths" among civilians in the Mopti region.

Koufa in March 2017 joined the newly-formed Group to Support Islam and Muslims (GSIM), the leading jihadist alliance in the Sahel region, with links to Al-Qaeda. Its leader is Iyad Ag Ghaly

Ninety-five people in a central Malian village inhabited by the Dogon community were killed by gunmen in an overnight attack, a local official and a security source said Monday, giving a provisional toll.

Ninety-five people in a central Malian village inhabited by the Dogon community were killed by gunmen in an overnight attack, a local official and a security source said Monday, giving a provisional toll. "Right now we have 95 dead civilians. The bodies are burned, we are continuing to look for others," an official in Koundou district, where the village of Sobane-Kou is located, told AFP. A Malian security source at the site of the massacre said, "a Dogon village has been virtually wiped out". The local official said the attackers came and "started shooting, pillaging and burning." The village had about 300 inhabitants, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. The attack appears to be the latest incident in a cycle of violence in central Mali, an ethnic mosaic. The tit-for-tat began when a predominantly Fulani jihadist group led by preacher Amadou Koufa surfaced in the region and started targeting the Bambara and Dogon ethnic groups. The Fulani, also known as Peul, are primarily cattle breeders and traders, while the Bambara and Dogon are traditionally sedentary farmers. On May 16, the UN mission in Mali (MINUSMA) announced it had recorded "at least 488 deaths" in attacks on Fulanis in the central regions of Mopti and Segou since January 2018. In the bloodiest raid, about 160 Fulani villagers were slaughtered in March at Ogossagou, near the border with Burkina Faso, by suspected Dogon hunters. MINUSMA said that also since January 2018, armed Fulanis had "caused 63 deaths" among civilians in the Mopti region. Koufa in March 2017 joined the newly-formed Group to Support Islam and Muslims (GSIM), the leading jihadist alliance in the Sahel region, with links to Al-Qaeda. Its leader is Iyad Ag Ghaly

95 killed in attack on central Mali village

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Mali's president has named a new government after its <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/mali-government-resigns-after-massacre-insecurity-211722">predecessor resigned last month amid widespread protests</a> over an upsurge of deadly inter-communal violence, a presidency statement said.

Ibrahim Boubacar Keita on Sunday announced the new executive of 37 members under Prime Minister Boubou Cisse, who was appointed on April 22 to oversee the formation of a "broad-based" government.

Last week, Cisse signed a pact with opposition and majority party representatives in the capital Bamako, declaring their willingness to set up a "politically-inclusive" new government.

Cisse's predecessor Soumeylou Boubeye Maiga and his entire cabinet resigned on April 18 following the massacre of some 160 members of the Fulani herding community on March 23 in the village of Ogossagou near Mali's border with Burkina Faso.

Tens of thousands of people took to the streets on April 5 to protest against an upsurge of violence that has claimed around 600 lives, and which demonstrators said the government had failed to stop.

The new executive has as its foreign minister Tiebile Drame, who led the election campaign of opposition member Soumaila Cisse against Keita in 2018.

Cisse's URD party said it would continue to play a "constructive" opposition role.

UN scandal

The key portfolio of defence went to General Ibrahim Dahirou Dembele, former army chief of staff under the junta that emerged from a 2012 coup.

The role of justice minister went to Malick Coulibaly, president of Mali's National Commission for Human Rights (CNDH), who has held the post before.

UNAIDS chief Michel Sidibe, whose tenure at the agency was marred by allegations of serious mismanagement, was appointed health minister, the agency said.&nbsp;

It was not immediately clear whether Sidibe will leave his UN post. But he had been scheduled to stand down in June following widespread concerns over his conduct in office, including his handling of sexual assault allegations against one of his top deputies.

The new Mali government includes ten women, more than a quarter of the total but fewer than the previous team, which boasted about a third.

Since the appearance of a jihadist group under preacher Amadou Koufa in central Mali in 2015, recruiting mainly among the Dogon -- a hunting and farming community -- clashes between the Dogon and the nomadic Fulani have intensified.

Last week, the UN's MINUSMA mission said the Ogossagou massacre had been "planned, organised and coordinated" and could constitute a "crime against humanity."

Mali's president has named a new government after its predecessor resigned last month amid widespread protests over an upsurge of deadly inter-communal violence, a presidency statement said.

Mali's president has named a new government after its predecessor resigned last month amid widespread protests over an upsurge of deadly inter-communal violence, a presidency statement said. Ibrahim Boubacar Keita on Sunday announced the new executive of 37 members under Prime Minister Boubou Cisse, who was appointed on April 22 to oversee the formation of a "broad-based" government. Last week, Cisse signed a pact with opposition and majority party representatives in the capital Bamako, declaring their willingness to set up a "politically-inclusive" new government. Cisse's predecessor Soumeylou Boubeye Maiga and his entire cabinet resigned on April 18 following the massacre of some 160 members of the Fulani herding community on March 23 in the village of Ogossagou near Mali's border with Burkina Faso. Tens of thousands of people took to the streets on April 5 to protest against an upsurge of violence that has claimed around 600 lives, and which demonstrators said the government had failed to stop. The new executive has as its foreign minister Tiebile Drame, who led the election campaign of opposition member Soumaila Cisse against Keita in 2018. Cisse's URD party said it would continue to play a "constructive" opposition role. UN scandal The key portfolio of defence went to General Ibrahim Dahirou Dembele, former army chief of staff under the junta that emerged from a 2012 coup. The role of justice minister went to Malick Coulibaly, president of Mali's National Commission for Human Rights (CNDH), who has held the post before. UNAIDS chief Michel Sidibe, whose tenure at the agency was marred by allegations of serious mismanagement, was appointed health minister, the agency said. It was not immediately clear whether Sidibe will leave his UN post. But he had been scheduled to stand down in June following widespread concerns over his conduct in office, including his handling of sexual assault allegations against one of his top deputies. The new Mali government includes ten women, more than a quarter of the total but fewer than the previous team, which boasted about a third. Since the appearance of a jihadist group under preacher Amadou Koufa in central Mali in 2015, recruiting mainly among the Dogon -- a hunting and farming community -- clashes between the Dogon and the nomadic Fulani have intensified. Last week, the UN's MINUSMA mission said the Ogossagou massacre had been "planned, organised and coordinated" and could constitute a "crime against humanity."

Mali gets new government after protests

Mali's prime minister and his whole government resigned on Thursday, four weeks after a massacre of some 160 <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.wionews.com/world/about-60-fulani-herders-killed-in-apparent-ethnic-attack-in-mali-mayor-205132&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwj3m4qnx9vhAhXEMY8KHRp6CgUQFggOMAM&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw2rC5fYp7LvQBcd7SUD1ig0">Fulani herders</a> by an ethnic vigilante group shocked the nation.

"The President accepts the resignation of the prime minister and that of the members of government," a statement from President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita's office said.

It gave no reason for the departure of Prime Minister Soumeylou Boubeye Maiga, but legislators had discussed on Wednesday a possible motion of no confidence in the government because of the massacre and failure to disarm militias or beat back Islamist militants.

The March 23 killings by suspected hunters from the Dogon community on Ogossagou, a village in central Mali populated by rival Fulani herders, were bloody even by the recent standards of Mali's ever-worsening violence.

They followed a deadly assault by jihadists on an army post that killed at least 23 soldiers, also in Mali's central region, which was claimed by an al Qaeda affiliate that counts many Fulani herders in its ranks.

Malian authorities have detained five people suspected of taking part in the massacre. But they have not yet succeeded in disarming the militia that many believe organised it, despite pledges by Maiga and Keita to do so.

The largely Saharan nation has been in turmoil since a rebellion by Tuaregs and allied jihadists took over half the country in 2012, prompting the French to intervene to push them back the following year. 
&nbsp;

Mali's prime minister and his whole government resigned on Thursday, four weeks after a massacre of some 160 Fulani herders by an ethnic vigilante group shocked the nation.

Mali's prime minister and his whole government resigned on Thursday, four weeks after a massacre of some 160 Fulani herders by an ethnic vigilante group shocked the nation. "The President accepts the resignation of the prime minister and that of the members of government," a statement from President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita's office said. It gave no reason for the departure of Prime Minister Soumeylou Boubeye Maiga, but legislators had discussed on Wednesday a possible motion of no confidence in the government because of the massacre and failure to disarm militias or beat back Islamist militants. The March 23 killings by suspected hunters from the Dogon community on Ogossagou, a village in central Mali populated by rival Fulani herders, were bloody even by the recent standards of Mali's ever-worsening violence. They followed a deadly assault by jihadists on an army post that killed at least 23 soldiers, also in Mali's central region, which was claimed by an al Qaeda affiliate that counts many Fulani herders in its ranks. Malian authorities have detained five people suspected of taking part in the massacre. But they have not yet succeeded in disarming the militia that many believe organised it, despite pledges by Maiga and Keita to do so. The largely Saharan nation has been in turmoil since a rebellion by Tuaregs and allied jihadists took over half the country in 2012, prompting the French to intervene to push them back the following year.

Mali government resigns after massacre of 160 Fulani herders

Dogon hunters killed more than 100 people in an attack on a Fulani village in central Mali on Saturday, local officials said, as a UN delegation visited the country.

"The new toll is 115 dead" in the village of Ogossagou, said Cheick Harouna Sankare, mayor of neighbouring Ouenkoro. "It is a massacre of Fulani civilians by traditional Dogon hunters."

Earlier he had reported the deaths of around 50 people, but warned the toll could rise because many people were unaccounted for. Those bodies had now been found, he said.

The victims were shot or hacked to death with machetes, said a security source. Malian troops with local support arrived at the site in the afternoon, and they gave a toll of at least 105, a security source added.

Boubacar Kane, the governor of Bankass district, which covers Ogossagou, said the "provisional toll" was 115. Survivors had accused traditional hunters of carrying out the attack, he added.

The attack was launched at dawn Saturday in the village near the border with Burkina Faso, said several sources. The district has been the scene of frequent inter-communal violence.

Two witnesses questioned separately by AFP said hunters had burned down nearly all the huts in the village.

The massacre took place as a delegation from the United Nations Security Council visited the Sahel region to assess the jihadist threat there.

The UN mission in Mali, MINUSMA, said in a Twitter message it "firmly condemns such attacks against civilians" and called on the Malian authorities to investigate.

The UN said the visiting ambassadors from the Security Council countries met on Saturday with Mali's Prime Minister Soumeylou Boubeye Maiga and discussed with him the volatile situation in the centre of the country.

Land disputes&nbsp;

While local attacks are fuelled by accusations of grazing cattle on Dogon land and disputes over access to land and water, the area is also troubled by jihadist influence.

In the past four years, jihadist fighters have emerged as a threat in central Mali. A group led by radical Islamist preacher Amadou Koufa has recruited mainly from the Muslim Fulani community.

Since then, there have been repeated clashes between the nomadic Fulani herders and the Dogon ethnic group.

Last year that violence cost the lives of 500 civilians, according to UN figures.

In January, Dogon hunters were blamed for the killing of 37 people in another Fulani village, Koulogon, in the same region.

The Fulani have repeatedly called for more protection from the authorities. The government in Bamako has denied their accusations it turns a blind eye to -- or even encourages -- Dogon attacks on the Fulani.

Once considered a beacon of democracy and stability in Africa, Mali in recent years has been dogged by a coup, civil war and Islamist terrorism.

Extremists linked to Al-Qaeda took control of the desert north in early 2012, but were largely driven out in a French-led military operation launched in January 2013.

In June 2015, Mali's government signed a peace agreement with some armed groups, but the jihadists remain active, and large tracts of the country remain lawless.

Despite the presence of UN peacekeepers, a strong French military contingent and the creation of a five-nation military force in the region, jihadist violence has not abated.

Dogon hunters killed more than 100 people in an attack on a Fulani village in central Mali on Saturday, local officials said, as a UN delegation visited the country.

Dogon hunters killed more than 100 people in an attack on a Fulani village in central Mali on Saturday, local officials said, as a UN delegation visited the country. "The new toll is 115 dead" in the village of Ogossagou, said Cheick Harouna Sankare, mayor of neighbouring Ouenkoro. "It is a massacre of Fulani civilians by traditional Dogon hunters." Earlier he had reported the deaths of around 50 people, but warned the toll could rise because many people were unaccounted for. Those bodies had now been found, he said. The victims were shot or hacked to death with machetes, said a security source. Malian troops with local support arrived at the site in the afternoon, and they gave a toll of at least 105, a security source added. Boubacar Kane, the governor of Bankass district, which covers Ogossagou, said the "provisional toll" was 115. Survivors had accused traditional hunters of carrying out the attack, he added. The attack was launched at dawn Saturday in the village near the border with Burkina Faso, said several sources. The district has been the scene of frequent inter-communal violence. Two witnesses questioned separately by AFP said hunters had burned down nearly all the huts in the village. The massacre took place as a delegation from the United Nations Security Council visited the Sahel region to assess the jihadist threat there. The UN mission in Mali, MINUSMA, said in a Twitter message it "firmly condemns such attacks against civilians" and called on the Malian authorities to investigate. The UN said the visiting ambassadors from the Security Council countries met on Saturday with Mali's Prime Minister Soumeylou Boubeye Maiga and discussed with him the volatile situation in the centre of the country. Land disputes While local attacks are fuelled by accusations of grazing cattle on Dogon land and disputes over access to land and water, the area is also troubled by jihadist influence. In the past four years, jihadist fighters have emerged as a threat in central Mali. A group led by radical Islamist preacher Amadou Koufa has recruited mainly from the Muslim Fulani community. Since then, there have been repeated clashes between the nomadic Fulani herders and the Dogon ethnic group. Last year that violence cost the lives of 500 civilians, according to UN figures. In January, Dogon hunters were blamed for the killing of 37 people in another Fulani village, Koulogon, in the same region. The Fulani have repeatedly called for more protection from the authorities. The government in Bamako has denied their accusations it turns a blind eye to -- or even encourages -- Dogon attacks on the Fulani. Once considered a beacon of democracy and stability in Africa, Mali in recent years has been dogged by a coup, civil war and Islamist terrorism. Extremists linked to Al-Qaeda took control of the desert north in early 2012, but were largely driven out in a French-led military operation launched in January 2013. In June 2015, Mali's government signed a peace agreement with some armed groups, but the jihadists remain active, and large tracts of the country remain lawless. Despite the presence of UN peacekeepers, a strong French military contingent and the creation of a five-nation military force in the region, jihadist violence has not abated.

More than 100 killed in Mali massacre as UN visits

An offensive by Islamists in northern Burkina Faso has left dozens of civilians dead and forced tens of thousands to flee their homes, Human Rights Watch said Friday.

"Atrocities by Islamist armed groups in Burkina Faso's northern Sahel region and by security forces during counterterrorism operations have left scores dead and created widespread fear and displacement," the group said in a 62-page report.

"The violence has forced tens of thousands of villagers to flee since early 2019," it said.

"Scores of people have been murdered in what amounts to a dramatic deterioration in the rights situation in northern Burkina Faso," said Corinne Dufka, Sahel director at Human Rights Watch.

"Villagers are living in fear as both armed Islamists and government forces have demonstrated utter disregard for human life."

More than 100,000 people have been displaced in the poor former French colony, over half of them since the start of 2019, officials have said.

Around 4.3 million people have been driven from their homes in the worsening violence that has engulfed the entire Sahel region, including one million over the past year, according to UN humanitarian officials.

Jihadist groups have gained ground in central Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, while Chad is battling unrest on its borders.

Since 2015, more than 300 people have been killed, typically in hit-and-run raids, and the Burkina Faso capital Ouagadougou has been hit three times.

An offensive by Islamists in northern Burkina Faso has left dozens of civilians dead and forced tens of thousands to flee their homes, Human Rights Watch said Friday.

An offensive by Islamists in northern Burkina Faso has left dozens of civilians dead and forced tens of thousands to flee their homes, Human Rights Watch said Friday. "Atrocities by Islamist armed groups in Burkina Faso's northern Sahel region and by security forces during counterterrorism operations have left scores dead and created widespread fear and displacement," the group said in a 62-page report. "The violence has forced tens of thousands of villagers to flee since early 2019," it said. "Scores of people have been murdered in what amounts to a dramatic deterioration in the rights situation in northern Burkina Faso," said Corinne Dufka, Sahel director at Human Rights Watch. "Villagers are living in fear as both armed Islamists and government forces have demonstrated utter disregard for human life." More than 100,000 people have been displaced in the poor former French colony, over half of them since the start of 2019, officials have said. Around 4.3 million people have been driven from their homes in the worsening violence that has engulfed the entire Sahel region, including one million over the past year, according to UN humanitarian officials. Jihadist groups have gained ground in central Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, while Chad is battling unrest on its borders. Since 2015, more than 300 people have been killed, typically in hit-and-run raids, and the Burkina Faso capital Ouagadougou has been hit three times.

Dozens dead in Islamist attack in Burkina Faso: Human Rights Watch

Suspected jihadists killed 21 Malian soldiers in a raid on an army camp in central Mali on Sunday, military sources said, after a dawn attack that the armed forces believe was led by a deserter.

Driving cars and motorbikes, the attackers stormed Dioura army camp in the Mopti region, in the latest assault on the military as the country grapples with the spread of extremist groups and instability.&nbsp;

"The provisional toll is 21 bodies discovered," said a military source, in figures also confirmed by a local legislator.

The attack was carried out "by terrorist groups under the command of Ba Ag Moussa, a deserter army colonel", according to the Malian armed forces. &nbsp; &nbsp;

A second military source said there was "a lot of damage".&nbsp;

"Our men responded. I saw at least four bodies on the ground," he said.&nbsp;

President Ibrahim Boubakar Keita, on Twitter, said the Malian people were "united against terrible acts", without giving any death toll.

Once a beacon of democracy and stability in Africa, Mali in recent years has been dogged by a coup, civil war and Islamist terrorism.

Extremists linked to Al-Qaeda took control of Mali's desert north in early 2012, but were largely driven out in a French-led military operation launched in January 2013.

In June 2015, Mali's government signed a peace agreement with some armed groups, but the jihadists remain active, and large tracts of the country remain lawless.

Despite the presence of UN peacekeepers, a strong French military contingent and the creation of a five-nation military force in the region, jihadist violence has not abated in Mali.

"Despite significant international efforts, the security situation has continued to deteriorate with an increase in the number of terrorist attacks," said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in a report sent to the Security Council this month.

In 2018, there were 237 terror attacks, up from 226 in 2017 and 183 the previous year, said the report.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Suspected jihadists killed 21 Malian soldiers in a raid on an army camp in central Mali on Sunday, military sources said, after a dawn attack that the armed forces believe was led by a deserter.

Suspected jihadists killed 21 Malian soldiers in a raid on an army camp in central Mali on Sunday, military sources said, after a dawn attack that the armed forces believe was led by a deserter. Driving cars and motorbikes, the attackers stormed Dioura army camp in the Mopti region, in the latest assault on the military as the country grapples with the spread of extremist groups and instability. "The provisional toll is 21 bodies discovered," said a military source, in figures also confirmed by a local legislator. The attack was carried out "by terrorist groups under the command of Ba Ag Moussa, a deserter army colonel", according to the Malian armed forces. A second military source said there was "a lot of damage". "Our men responded. I saw at least four bodies on the ground," he said. President Ibrahim Boubakar Keita, on Twitter, said the Malian people were "united against terrible acts", without giving any death toll. Once a beacon of democracy and stability in Africa, Mali in recent years has been dogged by a coup, civil war and Islamist terrorism. Extremists linked to Al-Qaeda took control of Mali's desert north in early 2012, but were largely driven out in a French-led military operation launched in January 2013. In June 2015, Mali's government signed a peace agreement with some armed groups, but the jihadists remain active, and large tracts of the country remain lawless. Despite the presence of UN peacekeepers, a strong French military contingent and the creation of a five-nation military force in the region, jihadist violence has not abated in Mali. "Despite significant international efforts, the security situation has continued to deteriorate with an increase in the number of terrorist attacks," said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in a report sent to the Security Council this month. In 2018, there were 237 terror attacks, up from 226 in 2017 and 183 the previous year, said the report.

21 soldiers dead as gunmen storm Mali army camp

Three UN peacekeepers in Mali have been killed by suspected bandits while travelling on leave along the road from the capital Bamako to neighbouring Guinea, sources said.

Friday's attack was a robbery, a Malian security source told AFP, adding that the three victims were from Guinea, which contributes some 900 soldiers to the 15,000-strong UN stabilisation mission in Mali MINUSMA.

At around 10:00 pm Friday, the three peacekeepers, "who were going on leave in a rental vehicle, were attacked by unidentified armed men on the road to Siby", 44 kilometres southwest of Bamako, MINUSMA said in a statement Saturday.

"Three of them were killed and another wounded."

A civilian who was driving the vehicle was also wounded, according to MINUSMA, which said it was "shocked by the cowardly assassination of the three Blue Helmets".

According to an elected official of Siby, it was "a robbery that went wrong".

"They were UN peacekeepers on leave who were going to Guinea. They were robbed by thugs who visibly panicked and shot" them, the official said on condition of anonymity, confirming the death toll.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the attack on the peacekeepers while the Security Council in a statement "called on the government of Mali to swiftly investigate this attack and bring the perpetrators to justice".

The UN mission was established in Mali after Islamist militias seized the north of the country in 2012. They were pushed back by French troops in 2013.

A peace agreement signed in 2015 by the Bamako government and armed groups was aimed at restoring stability. But the accord has failed to stop violence by Islamist militants.

Since their deployment in 2013, more than 190 peacekeepers have died in Mali, including nearly 120 killed by hostile action, making MINUSMA the UN's deadliest peacekeeping operation, accounting for more than half of blue helmets killed globally in the past five years.

Three UN peacekeepers in Mali have been killed by suspected bandits while travelling on leave along the road from the capital Bamako to neighbouring Guinea, sources said.

Three UN peacekeepers in Mali have been killed by suspected bandits while travelling on leave along the road from the capital Bamako to neighbouring Guinea, sources said. Friday's attack was a robbery, a Malian security source told AFP, adding that the three victims were from Guinea, which contributes some 900 soldiers to the 15,000-strong UN stabilisation mission in Mali MINUSMA. At around 10:00 pm Friday, the three peacekeepers, "who were going on leave in a rental vehicle, were attacked by unidentified armed men on the road to Siby", 44 kilometres southwest of Bamako, MINUSMA said in a statement Saturday. "Three of them were killed and another wounded." A civilian who was driving the vehicle was also wounded, according to MINUSMA, which said it was "shocked by the cowardly assassination of the three Blue Helmets". According to an elected official of Siby, it was "a robbery that went wrong". "They were UN peacekeepers on leave who were going to Guinea. They were robbed by thugs who visibly panicked and shot" them, the official said on condition of anonymity, confirming the death toll. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the attack on the peacekeepers while the Security Council in a statement "called on the government of Mali to swiftly investigate this attack and bring the perpetrators to justice". The UN mission was established in Mali after Islamist militias seized the north of the country in 2012. They were pushed back by French troops in 2013. A peace agreement signed in 2015 by the Bamako government and armed groups was aimed at restoring stability. But the accord has failed to stop violence by Islamist militants. Since their deployment in 2013, more than 190 peacekeepers have died in Mali, including nearly 120 killed by hostile action, making MINUSMA the UN's deadliest peacekeeping operation, accounting for more than half of blue helmets killed globally in the past five years.

Three UN peacekeepers killed by suspected bandits in Mali

Two peacekeepers from Sri Lanka died and six were wounded in central Mali Friday when their vehicle hit a mine, the UN said, urging a swift investigation to "bring the perpetrators to justice".

UN chief Antonio Guterres strongly condemned the latest attack, and a separate strike with an improvised explosive device Thursday that killed another peacekeeper, from Burkina Faso.

"The Secretary-General recalls that attacks targeting United Nations peacekeepers may constitute war crimes under international law," his office said in a statement issued in New York.

The UN mission in Mali (MINUSMA) earlier said a logistics vehicle hit a mine near Douentza in the Mopti region, killing two blue helmets and severely wounding several others, who have since been evacuated for treatment.

The 14,000-strong UN military and police mission has been deployed in Mali since 2013 to help counter jihadist activity.

The casualties come after jihadist gunmen killed 10 Chadian peacekeepers and injured at least 25 others in an attack on a UN camp in Aguelhok, northern Mali on Sunday.

Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) claimed responsibility for that attack -- one of the deadliest strikes against the UN mission in the West African country.

The UN Security Council in a statement urged the Malian government "to swiftly investigate the attack and bring the perpetrators to justice."

It added that "involvement in planning, directing, sponsoring or conducting attacks against MINUSMA peacekeepers constitutes a basis for sanctions designations pursuant to United Nations Security Council resolutions."

Mali, one of the world's poorest countries, has struggled to return to stability since extremists linked to Al-Qaeda took control of the north in 2012, prompting French military intervention.

The jihadists were routed from key desert towns such as Timbuktu and Gao, but large stretches of the landlocked Sahel state remain out of government control.

A peace deal between the government and armed groups was signed in 2015, but implementation has been slow and attacks have continued in the centre and north.

In his last quarterly report on Mali, Guterres highlighted a rise in improvised explosive device attacks.&nbsp;

"The number of attacks of this type has increased steadily since January 2018, reaching 192, while there had been only 124 during the same period in 2017," according to the report.&nbsp;

Two peacekeepers from Sri Lanka died and six were wounded in central Mali Friday when their vehicle hit a mine, the UN said, urging a swift investigation to "bring the perpetrators to justice".

Two peacekeepers from Sri Lanka died and six were wounded in central Mali Friday when their vehicle hit a mine, the UN said, urging a swift investigation to "bring the perpetrators to justice". UN chief Antonio Guterres strongly condemned the latest attack, and a separate strike with an improvised explosive device Thursday that killed another peacekeeper, from Burkina Faso. "The Secretary-General recalls that attacks targeting United Nations peacekeepers may constitute war crimes under international law," his office said in a statement issued in New York. The UN mission in Mali (MINUSMA) earlier said a logistics vehicle hit a mine near Douentza in the Mopti region, killing two blue helmets and severely wounding several others, who have since been evacuated for treatment. The 14,000-strong UN military and police mission has been deployed in Mali since 2013 to help counter jihadist activity. The casualties come after jihadist gunmen killed 10 Chadian peacekeepers and injured at least 25 others in an attack on a UN camp in Aguelhok, northern Mali on Sunday. Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) claimed responsibility for that attack -- one of the deadliest strikes against the UN mission in the West African country. The UN Security Council in a statement urged the Malian government "to swiftly investigate the attack and bring the perpetrators to justice." It added that "involvement in planning, directing, sponsoring or conducting attacks against MINUSMA peacekeepers constitutes a basis for sanctions designations pursuant to United Nations Security Council resolutions." Mali, one of the world's poorest countries, has struggled to return to stability since extremists linked to Al-Qaeda took control of the north in 2012, prompting French military intervention. The jihadists were routed from key desert towns such as Timbuktu and Gao, but large stretches of the landlocked Sahel state remain out of government control. A peace deal between the government and armed groups was signed in 2015, but implementation has been slow and attacks have continued in the centre and north. In his last quarterly report on Mali, Guterres highlighted a rise in improvised explosive device attacks. "The number of attacks of this type has increased steadily since January 2018, reaching 192, while there had been only 124 during the same period in 2017," according to the report.

UN urges probe as mines kill peacekeepers in Mali

French forces have "put out of action" some 30 Islamist militants, possibly including veteran Malian jihadist leader Amadou Koufa, during a raid in the central Mali region of Mopti, the army said on Friday.

The French army, which has about 4,500 troops in West Africa battling Islamist militants, did not specify whether the jihadists had all been killed or taken prisoner. The operation took place with air support on Thursday night, it said.

"At this stage of the evaluation of the operation, it appears that about 30 terrorists were put out of action," the army said in its statement, adding that Koufa and other prominent militants were probably among them.

Koufa, a radical preacher, inspired the Massina Liberation Front (MLF), a group blamed for a wave of attacks that has shifted Mali’s six-year-old Islamist insurgency from the remote desert north ever closer to its populous south.

French forces have "put out of action" some 30 Islamist militants, possibly including veteran Malian jihadist leader Amadou Koufa, during a raid in the central Mali region of Mopti, the army said on Friday.

French forces have "put out of action" some 30 Islamist militants, possibly including veteran Malian jihadist leader Amadou Koufa, during a raid in the central Mali region of Mopti, the army said on Friday. The French army, which has about 4,500 troops in West Africa battling Islamist militants, did not specify whether the jihadists had all been killed or taken prisoner. The operation took place with air support on Thursday night, it said. "At this stage of the evaluation of the operation, it appears that about 30 terrorists were put out of action," the army said in its statement, adding that Koufa and other prominent militants were probably among them. Koufa, a radical preacher, inspired the Massina Liberation Front (MLF), a group blamed for a wave of attacks that has shifted Mali’s six-year-old Islamist insurgency from the remote desert north ever closer to its populous south.

France says puts 30 jihadists 'out of action' in Mali

Mali`s army said on Saturday it had killed 14 jihadist suspects who were trying to escape detention in its central region, the latest in a string of killings by the armed forces that have provoked condemnation from rights groups.

The military said in a statement that the suspects had been arrested in Dioura on April 5 and were killed the following day.

"Following an alleged attempt to escape, 14 terrorist suspects were killed on April 6 in Dioura," the statement said. "The command has taken measures to shed light on this issue," it said.

The statement is likely to draw the attention of human rights groups which have accused the security forces of carrying out summary executions in their campaign to secure central Mali, which has been plagued by violent Islamists and ethnic militias.

Amnesty International raised the alarm this week over reports that six people found dead in a mass grave in the central Mopti region in March had been arrested by the military three days earlier.

There has been a spate of killings and kidnappings ahead of a July presidential election which rights groups say are being conducted by the army against suspected sympathisers of jihadist groups. The government has rejected the allegations.

The violence has raised doubts about whether Mali will be able to hold credible elections in less than three months` time.&nbsp

Two Chadian peacekeepers were killed on Thursday and at least 10 others were wounded when a UN camp came under mortar fire in the northern Kidal region, the country`s most volatile.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said such acts "only reinforce the commitment of the United Nations to support the people and the Government of Mali in their quest for peace".

On Friday evening, a peacekeeper was killed when two armed men in the northern city of Gao opened fire on his vehicle, the UN force said in a statement.

Unidentified gunmen killed one person and wounded at least two others last Wednesday in an attack on a hotel in the central town of Bandiagara regularly frequented by UN staff and humanitarian agency workers.&nbsp

Some 65 people have been killed in 2018 by improvised explosive devices, Amnesty International estimated this week.

Burkina Faso, Niger, Chad, Mali and Mauritania launched a G5 Sahel taskforce last year to tackle Islamist militants in the region.

France, its main Western backer, hopes the force will enable them to start drawing down the 4,000 or so troops it has had stationed in Mali since intervening to prevent Islamists and allied Tuareg rebels taking over the country in 2013.&nbsp

International donors have committed half a billion dollars to the force, but Mali remains heavily dependent on foreign firepower.&nbsp

The French army said on Thursday that French and Malian troops had killed about 30 Islamist insurgents during a gun battle near the border with Niger, where Islamic State`s Saharan affiliate are known to be active.&nbsp

Mali`s army said on Saturday it had killed 14 jihadist suspects who were trying to escape detention in its central region, the latest in a string of killings by the armed forces that have provoked condemnation from rights groups

Mali`s army said on Saturday it had killed 14 jihadist suspects who were trying to escape detention in its central region, the latest in a string of killings by the armed forces that have provoked condemnation from rights groups. The military said in a statement that the suspects had been arrested in Dioura on April 5 and were killed the following day. "Following an alleged attempt to escape, 14 terrorist suspects were killed on April 6 in Dioura," the statement said. "The command has taken measures to shed light on this issue," it said. The statement is likely to draw the attention of human rights groups which have accused the security forces of carrying out summary executions in their campaign to secure central Mali, which has been plagued by violent Islamists and ethnic militias. Amnesty International raised the alarm this week over reports that six people found dead in a mass grave in the central Mopti region in March had been arrested by the military three days earlier. There has been a spate of killings and kidnappings ahead of a July presidential election which rights groups say are being conducted by the army against suspected sympathisers of jihadist groups. The government has rejected the allegations. The violence has raised doubts about whether Mali will be able to hold credible elections in less than three months` time. Two Chadian peacekeepers were killed on Thursday and at least 10 others were wounded when a UN camp came under mortar fire in the northern Kidal region, the country`s most volatile. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said such acts "only reinforce the commitment of the United Nations to support the people and the Government of Mali in their quest for peace". On Friday evening, a peacekeeper was killed when two armed men in the northern city of Gao opened fire on his vehicle, the UN force said in a statement. Unidentified gunmen killed one person and wounded at least two others last Wednesday in an attack on a hotel in the central town of Bandiagara regularly frequented by UN staff and humanitarian agency workers. Some 65 people have been killed in 2018 by improvised explosive devices, Amnesty International estimated this week. Burkina Faso, Niger, Chad, Mali and Mauritania launched a G5 Sahel taskforce last year to tackle Islamist militants in the region. France, its main Western backer, hopes the force will enable them to start drawing down the 4,000 or so troops it has had stationed in Mali since intervening to prevent Islamists and allied Tuareg rebels taking over the country in 2013. International donors have committed half a billion dollars to the force, but Mali remains heavily dependent on foreign firepower. The French army said on Thursday that French and Malian troops had killed about 30 Islamist insurgents during a gun battle near the border with Niger, where Islamic State`s Saharan affiliate are known to be active.

Mali army kills 14 jihadist suspects in 'attempted escape'

Amnesty International today called on authorities in Mali to investigate extra-judicial killings following the discovery last week of a mass grave containing six bodies.

The rights group said it had collected evidence that "the six bodies found in a mass grave on 25 March had been arrested by the military three days earlier in the village of Dogo and taken away to an unknown location."

"This macabre discovery comes after weeks of escalating violence which has left civilians in central Mali caught in the crossfire, facing enforced disappearances and unlawful killings by the military on one side, and roadside bombs and abductions by armed groups on the other," Amnesty's West Africa researcher Gaetan Mootoo said in a statement.

"We are urging the Malian authorities to investigate reports of enforced disappearances and extra-judicial killings of civilians in the central region, and bring all those suspected of criminal responsibility to justice," Mootoo said.

The UN Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) on March 29 expressed "deep concern" over the increase in "serious violations and human rights abuses against civilians, including cases of summary execution" in the centre of the country, where jihadist groups are particularly active.

MINUSMA, which has 12,000 peacekeepers in Mali, said it had recorded at least 85 major violent incidents and armed confrontations that resulted in at least 180 civilian victims, including 15 women and 17 children, since the beginning of the year.

It said it was also worried about the extent of inter-communal violence in the central region, which has killed at least 50 people.

"Some cases are attributable to community self-defence groups," said MINUSMA, which welcomed Prime Minister Soumeylou Boubeye Maiga's recent visit to the restive region and the government's commitment to "shed light on serious violations and human rights abuses".

Maiga, who is charged with improving Mali's security situation, vowed to disarm militias during a visit to Koro on March 25.

In early 2012 Islamist extremists linked to Al-Qaeda and other armed groups took control of Mali's desert north, but were largely driven out in a French-led military operation launched in January 2013.

That insurgency has since spread to the country's centre, where local grievances are exploited by the Islamists in a region awash with guns.

Another problem is deadly clashes between farmers and herders driven south to feed their animals in recent years.&nbsp

Mali to investigate extra-judicial killings following the discovery last week of a mass grave containing six bodies

Amnesty International today called on authorities in Mali to investigate extra-judicial killings following the discovery last week of a mass grave containing six bodies. The rights group said it had collected evidence that "the six bodies found in a mass grave on 25 March had been arrested by the military three days earlier in the village of Dogo and taken away to an unknown location." "This macabre discovery comes after weeks of escalating violence which has left civilians in central Mali caught in the crossfire, facing enforced disappearances and unlawful killings by the military on one side, and roadside bombs and abductions by armed groups on the other," Amnesty's West Africa researcher Gaetan Mootoo said in a statement. "We are urging the Malian authorities to investigate reports of enforced disappearances and extra-judicial killings of civilians in the central region, and bring all those suspected of criminal responsibility to justice," Mootoo said. The UN Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) on March 29 expressed "deep concern" over the increase in "serious violations and human rights abuses against civilians, including cases of summary execution" in the centre of the country, where jihadist groups are particularly active. MINUSMA, which has 12,000 peacekeepers in Mali, said it had recorded at least 85 major violent incidents and armed confrontations that resulted in at least 180 civilian victims, including 15 women and 17 children, since the beginning of the year. It said it was also worried about the extent of inter-communal violence in the central region, which has killed at least 50 people. "Some cases are attributable to community self-defence groups," said MINUSMA, which welcomed Prime Minister Soumeylou Boubeye Maiga's recent visit to the restive region and the government's commitment to "shed light on serious violations and human rights abuses". Maiga, who is charged with improving Mali's security situation, vowed to disarm militias during a visit to Koro on March 25. In early 2012 Islamist extremists linked to Al-Qaeda and other armed groups took control of Mali's desert north, but were largely driven out in a French-led military operation launched in January 2013. That insurgency has since spread to the country's centre, where local grievances are exploited by the Islamists in a region awash with guns. Another problem is deadly clashes between farmers and herders driven south to feed their animals in recent years.

Amnesty calls on Mali to probe extrajudicial killings

European champions Spain staved off a battling Mali to emerge 3-1 winners in a rip-roaring, action-packed semi-final contest to enter the summit clash of the FIFA U-17 World Cup at the D Y Patil Stadium, here today.

Spain scored twice in the first half, both the goals coming from their ebullient striker Abel Ruiz, and added one more through a headed goal by Ferran Torres to take a commanding 3-0 lead before Mali found the mark for the first and only time through their own top goal getter Lassana N&#39;Diaye in the 74th minute.

By virtue of this win, Spain has entered the final of the FIFA U-17 World Cup for the fourth time after their first apperance in the title clash 2007.

Mali also had an attempt that appeared like a legitimate goal which was controversially not signalled in by the assistant referee, when they were trailing 0-2 before Spain scored their third goal to virtually shut off the contest although Mali fought hard till the end.

The victory by Spain after staving off a late fight-back by the African age group champions has, thus, piloted them into a summit clash against England at Kolkata on October 28.

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England got the better of South American champions Brazil 3-1 in the first semi-final.

Spain were the dominant force in the entire first half as they took a handy two-goal lead with their sharp-shooter Abel Ruiz finding the net on both occasions, the first one from the penalty spot in the 19th minute and the second with an on- the-run effort in the 45th minute.

Ruiz and Cesar Gelabert combined beautifully with promptings from the mid-field to tear apart the leaky Mali defense to shreds.

Spain clearly had the better share of the exchanges too and could have been 4-0 up but for an early brilliant save by Mali custodian Youssouf Koita and then a missed chance by Ruiz who took his tally to six goals in the tournament.

After Koita blocked a stiff left-footed volley by Sergio Gomez in the second minute, Gelabert side-stepped a couple of defenders only to shoot wide with his left foot.

Mali had their best chance of the first half in the eighth minute when their top goal getter, with five goals before today&#39;s match, Lassana Ndiaye, got a faint touch to the ball after being chased in his forward thrust by Spain&#39;s Hugo Guillamon, but the ball kissed the side netting.

Then came the opening goal of the match when Gelabert was brought down, as he moved into the box, by Mali defender Abdoulaye Diaby. Ruiz sent Koita the wrong way from the spot- kick to provide the European U-17 champions a 1-0 lead.

Mali fought back after falling into arrears as they made repeated raids on the rival area but some good defending by Spain and some wayward shot-making by the African champions denied them the equaliser.

Spain came close to scoring for the second time as a centre from the left wing by Mohammed Moukhliss was allowed to reach Ruiz who, however, shot wide on-the-run from close range.

Mali tried some long range shots and from one of those, Spain goalie Alvaro Fernandez brought off a diving save to deny Cheick Omar Douchare.

Just when it seemed that Spain would go in with a 1-0 advantage at half time came a counter attack off which Gelabert put a through ball for Ruiz to run forward and find the right corner of the net with a neat placement past Koita.

Mali then were denied a goal in controversial fashion.

A 40-yard pile-driver by Doucoure flew past Spanish goalie Fernandez and hit the underside of the cross bar and bounced on the ground before coming back into play which was headed out. But the ball seemed to have bounced inside the goal before rebounding into play, with the assistant referee not signalling it in.

Even as play continued the Mali bench rose as a whole to protest and after continuous shouting caught the attention of referee Ryuji Sato of Japan who, after remonstrating with the Mali bench, showed the yellow card to one of the support staff members for repeated back-chatting.

To rub more salt to the wounded of Mali came the third goal from Spain, once again following an attack from the wing as a high cross from the left by Gomez was headed in by an unmarked Ferran Torres.

After a short break for drinks, N&#39;Diaye caught the Spain defense napping and moved well into the box after hoodwinking a couple of defenders before slotting in with an angular effort to make it 3-1 with 16 minutes left on the clock.

Putting all their effort into attack Mali made another stiff effort but substitute Mamadou Traore&#39;s essay sailed over the bar. 
With time ticking away Spain made an all-out effort and denied Mali any further goals to sail into the final against fellow-European rivals England. PTI

England got the better of South American champions Brazil 3-1 in the first semi-final

European champions Spain staved off a battling Mali to emerge 3-1 winners in a rip-roaring, action-packed semi-final contest to enter the summit clash of the FIFA U-17 World Cup at the D Y Patil Stadium, here today. Spain scored twice in the first half, both the goals coming from their ebullient striker Abel Ruiz, and added one more through a headed goal by Ferran Torres to take a commanding 3-0 lead before Mali found the mark for the first and only time through their own top goal getter Lassana N'Diaye in the 74th minute. By virtue of this win, Spain has entered the final of the FIFA U-17 World Cup for the fourth time after their first apperance in the title clash 2007. Mali also had an attempt that appeared like a legitimate goal which was controversially not signalled in by the assistant referee, when they were trailing 0-2 before Spain scored their third goal to virtually shut off the contest although Mali fought hard till the end. The victory by Spain after staving off a late fight-back by the African age group champions has, thus, piloted them into a summit clash against England at Kolkata on October 28. Spain were the dominant force in the entire first half × England got the better of South American champions Brazil 3-1 in the first semi-final. Spain were the dominant force in the entire first half as they took a handy two-goal lead with their sharp-shooter Abel Ruiz finding the net on both occasions, the first one from the penalty spot in the 19th minute and the second with an on- the-run effort in the 45th minute. Ruiz and Cesar Gelabert combined beautifully with promptings from the mid-field to tear apart the leaky Mali defense to shreds. Spain clearly had the better share of the exchanges too and could have been 4-0 up but for an early brilliant save by Mali custodian Youssouf Koita and then a missed chance by Ruiz who took his tally to six goals in the tournament. After Koita blocked a stiff left-footed volley by Sergio Gomez in the second minute, Gelabert side-stepped a couple of defenders only to shoot wide with his left foot. Mali had their best chance of the first half in the eighth minute when their top goal getter, with five goals before today's match, Lassana Ndiaye, got a faint touch to the ball after being chased in his forward thrust by Spain's Hugo Guillamon, but the ball kissed the side netting. Then came the opening goal of the match when Gelabert was brought down, as he moved into the box, by Mali defender Abdoulaye Diaby. Ruiz sent Koita the wrong way from the spot- kick to provide the European U-17 champions a 1-0 lead. Mali fought back after falling into arrears as they made repeated raids on the rival area but some good defending by Spain and some wayward shot-making by the African champions denied them the equaliser. Spain came close to scoring for the second time as a centre from the left wing by Mohammed Moukhliss was allowed to reach Ruiz who, however, shot wide on-the-run from close range. Mali tried some long range shots and from one of those, Spain goalie Alvaro Fernandez brought off a diving save to deny Cheick Omar Douchare. Just when it seemed that Spain would go in with a 1-0 advantage at half time came a counter attack off which Gelabert put a through ball for Ruiz to run forward and find the right corner of the net with a neat placement past Koita. Mali then were denied a goal in controversial fashion. A 40-yard pile-driver by Doucoure flew past Spanish goalie Fernandez and hit the underside of the cross bar and bounced on the ground before coming back into play which was headed out. But the ball seemed to have bounced inside the goal before rebounding into play, with the assistant referee not signalling it in. Even as play continued the Mali bench rose as a whole to protest and after continuous shouting caught the attention of referee Ryuji Sato of Japan who, after remonstrating with the Mali bench, showed the yellow card to one of the support staff members for repeated back-chatting. To rub more salt to the wounded of Mali came the third goal from Spain, once again following an attack from the wing as a high cross from the left by Gomez was headed in by an unmarked Ferran Torres. After a short break for drinks, N'Diaye caught the Spain defense napping and moved well into the box after hoodwinking a couple of defenders before slotting in with an angular effort to make it 3-1 with 16 minutes left on the clock. Putting all their effort into attack Mali made another stiff effort but substitute Mamadou Traore's essay sailed over the bar. With time ticking away Spain made an all-out effort and denied Mali any further goals to sail into the final against fellow-European rivals England. PTI

U-17 World Cup: Spain beat Mali, will play England in final

An unmarried couple were stoned to death in public in northeast Mali by &quot;Islamists&quot;, local officials told AFP on Wednesday, the first such incident since jihadist groups were driven out of the region.

Jihadists seized key northern cities in Mali in March 2012, and though they were driven out by a French-led military intervention in 2013, Islamist groups continue to make their presence felt with frequent attacks on domestic and foreign forces.

&quot;The Islamists dug two holes where they put the man and the woman who lived maritally without being married,&quot; said a local official. &quot;They were stoned to death.&quot;

The stoning happened in Taghlit on Tuesday, close to Aguelhok in the Kidal region, and the same source told AFP that members of the public were invited to take part.

&quot;Four people threw stones at them until they died,&quot; they said.

Another local official said the Islamists had accused the unmarried couple of violating &quot;Islamic law&quot;, which requires punishment by stoning.

During their brief control of key towns in the vast north, jihadist groups imposed a version of Sharia law which forced women to wear veils and set whipping and stoning as punishment for transgressions.

In July 2012, the Al-Qaeda-linked Ansar Dine group stoned a couple in public in Aguelhok who they accused of having children outside marriage.

The stoning comes on the eve of an expected visit to Mali by French President Emmanuel Macron, who is due to meet French troops stationed there on Thursday or Friday.

The Malian Association for the Defence of Human Rights (AMDH) described the stoning as &quot;cowardly murder&quot;.

&quot;This is barbaric. The people who did this should be arrested and put on trial,&quot; said Oumar Diakite, an AMDH official.

UN rapid intervention force

A 2015 peace deal signed by Tuareg-led rebels, the government and pro-Bamako militias aimed to quell separatist uprisings in the north and isolate jihadist groups.

But its implementation has been piecemeal and the jihadists, who did not sign up to the accord, continue to mount attacks on civilians and the army, as well as French and UN forces.

The new UN peacekeeping chief said a rapid intervention force of Senegalese troops would soon be deployed in central Mali, which has seen an increase in attacks and communal violence since 2015.

Jean-Pierre Lacroix, on his first visit to Mali since becoming under-secretary general for UN peacekeeping operations, said the UN mission lacked capacity.

&quot;We are hopeful that, soon, a number of reinforcements will arrive, which will make up for these shortcomings,&quot; he said.

The UN mission, known by its acronym MINUSMA, has been stationed in the west African country since 2013 and is considered the world body&#39;s most dangerous active peacekeeping deployment.

The opposition Parena party meanwhile noted that 309 people had been killed since the beginning of the year by armed groups, describing &quot;alarm at the deterioration of the security situation&quot; two years after the signing of the peace deal.

(AFP)&nbsp;

Officials said the couple was killed by 'Islamists'

An unmarried couple were stoned to death in public in northeast Mali by "Islamists", local officials told AFP on Wednesday, the first such incident since jihadist groups were driven out of the region. Jihadists seized key northern cities in Mali in March 2012, and though they were driven out by a French-led military intervention in 2013, Islamist groups continue to make their presence felt with frequent attacks on domestic and foreign forces. "The Islamists dug two holes where they put the man and the woman who lived maritally without being married," said a local official. "They were stoned to death." The stoning happened in Taghlit on Tuesday, close to Aguelhok in the Kidal region, and the same source told AFP that members of the public were invited to take part. "Four people threw stones at them until they died," they said. Another local official said the Islamists had accused the unmarried couple of violating "Islamic law", which requires punishment by stoning. During their brief control of key towns in the vast north, jihadist groups imposed a version of Sharia law which forced women to wear veils and set whipping and stoning as punishment for transgressions. In July 2012, the Al-Qaeda-linked Ansar Dine group stoned a couple in public in Aguelhok who they accused of having children outside marriage. The stoning comes on the eve of an expected visit to Mali by French President Emmanuel Macron, who is due to meet French troops stationed there on Thursday or Friday. The Malian Association for the Defence of Human Rights (AMDH) described the stoning as "cowardly murder". "This is barbaric. The people who did this should be arrested and put on trial," said Oumar Diakite, an AMDH official. UN rapid intervention force A 2015 peace deal signed by Tuareg-led rebels, the government and pro-Bamako militias aimed to quell separatist uprisings in the north and isolate jihadist groups. But its implementation has been piecemeal and the jihadists, who did not sign up to the accord, continue to mount attacks on civilians and the army, as well as French and UN forces. The new UN peacekeeping chief said a rapid intervention force of Senegalese troops would soon be deployed in central Mali, which has seen an increase in attacks and communal violence since 2015. Jean-Pierre Lacroix, on his first visit to Mali since becoming under-secretary general for UN peacekeeping operations, said the UN mission lacked capacity. "We are hopeful that, soon, a number of reinforcements will arrive, which will make up for these shortcomings," he said. The UN mission, known by its acronym MINUSMA, has been stationed in the west African country since 2013 and is considered the world body's most dangerous active peacekeeping deployment. The opposition Parena party meanwhile noted that 309 people had been killed since the beginning of the year by armed groups, describing "alarm at the deterioration of the security situation" two years after the signing of the peace deal. (AFP)

Mali: Unmarried couple living together stoned to death

&nbsp;At least 47 people including five suicide bombers were killed when a vehicle packed with explosives detonated inside a military camp in the northern Mali city of Gao on Wednesday, the government said.

Army spokesman Diarran Kone said a further 115 people were wounded in the worst militant attack in years in the Saharan West African nation.

A Reuters reporter who arrived at the camp soon after the blast, which occurred at about 9 am (0900 GMT), said he saw dozens of bodies lying on the ground alongside the wounded.

Ambulances rushed to the scene as helicopters circled overhead.

&quot;It&#39;s terrible,&quot; Gao resident Kader Tour&eacute; said. &quot;The attack happened while they were having an assembly. I&#39;ve just left the hospital where there were bodies ripped to pieces and bodies piled up.&quot;

The army put the provisional toll at 25 but a source in the UN&nbsp;MINUSMA peacekeeping force said at least 33 were killed.

The camp was home to government soldiers and members of various rival armed groups which jointly patrol Mali&#39;s restive desert north in line with a UN-brokered peace accord.

A French-led military intervention in 2013 drove back Islamist militants, including al Qaeda-linked groups, which had seized northern Mali a year earlier.

However, Islamist militants still operate in the region and insecurity is aggravated by tensions between local rebel groups and pro-government militias.

French interior minister Bruno Le Roux described the blast as a &quot;major and highly symbolic attack&quot; in an area visited only days ago by French President Francois Hollande.

(Reuters)

115 were injured after a vehicle packed with explosives detonated in Mali's northern city of Gao, according to the army

At least 47 people including five suicide bombers were killed when a vehicle packed with explosives detonated inside a military camp in the northern Mali city of Gao on Wednesday, the government said. Army spokesman Diarran Kone said a further 115 people were wounded in the worst militant attack in years in the Saharan West African nation. A Reuters reporter who arrived at the camp soon after the blast, which occurred at about 9 am (0900 GMT), said he saw dozens of bodies lying on the ground alongside the wounded. Ambulances rushed to the scene as helicopters circled overhead. "It's terrible," Gao resident Kader Touré said. "The attack happened while they were having an assembly. I've just left the hospital where there were bodies ripped to pieces and bodies piled up." The army put the provisional toll at 25 but a source in the UN MINUSMA peacekeeping force said at least 33 were killed. The camp was home to government soldiers and members of various rival armed groups which jointly patrol Mali's restive desert north in line with a UN-brokered peace accord. A French-led military intervention in 2013 drove back Islamist militants, including al Qaeda-linked groups, which had seized northern Mali a year earlier. However, Islamist militants still operate in the region and insecurity is aggravated by tensions between local rebel groups and pro-government militias. French interior minister Bruno Le Roux described the blast as a "major and highly symbolic attack" in an area visited only days ago by French President Francois Hollande. (Reuters)

Mali: Car bomb attack on military camp kills at least 47

The International Criminal Court will today announce its verdict against a Malian Jihadist accused of &nbsp;razing Timbuktu&#39;s fabled shrines.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Forty-year-old Ahmad al-Faqi al-Mahdi is the first jihadist to stand trial at the tribunal in The Hague and will be sentenced by a three-judge bench.

&nbsp;

Last month, Mahdi pleaded guilty to destroying nine monuments in Timbuktu and the centuries-old door of the historic Sidi Yahia mosque in 2012. &nbsp;This is the first verdict to focus solely on cultural destruction as a war crime.

&nbsp;

After videos of him and other Islamist extremists razing mausoleums with bulldozers,Mahdi had apologised to people.&nbsp;The residents of Timbuktu, which has now been restored, say they are ready to forgive him, according to AFP news agency.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

El-Boukhari Ben Essayouti, who headed &nbsp;the reconstruction of the monuments with UNESCO assistance, told AFP that &nbsp;Mahdi`s trial was an important lesson.

&nbsp;

The trial &quot;has to be useful for something, showing to everyone that in the same way that we cannot kill another person with impunity, we cannot just destroy a world heritage site with impunity either,&quot; he said.

&nbsp;

As the head of the so-called Hisbah or &quot;Manners Brigade,&quot; Mahdi, a former Islamic scholar gave the orders to ransack the sites. Apologising for his actions at the court, he said he had been overtaken by &quot;evil spirits&quot;, urging Muslims not to follow his example, and saying he wanted to seek the pardon of all Malians, AFP reported.

&nbsp;

According to AFP, Prosecutors have asked for a jail term of upto 11 years.&nbsp;&quot;The verdict is eagerly awaited,&quot; Lassana Cisse, Mali&rsquo;s national heritage director, was quoted as saying by the international news agency.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

He added that it must be a &quot;punishment which sets an example.&quot;&nbsp;

 
 
(WION with inputs from AFP)

This is the first verdict to focus solely on cultural destruction as a war crime

The International Criminal Court will today announce its verdict against a Malian Jihadist accused of razing Timbuktu's fabled shrines. Forty-year-old Ahmad al-Faqi al-Mahdi is the first jihadist to stand trial at the tribunal in The Hague and will be sentenced by a three-judge bench. Last month, Mahdi pleaded guilty to destroying nine monuments in Timbuktu and the centuries-old door of the historic Sidi Yahia mosque in 2012. This is the first verdict to focus solely on cultural destruction as a war crime. After videos of him and other Islamist extremists razing mausoleums with bulldozers,Mahdi had apologised to people. The residents of Timbuktu, which has now been restored, say they are ready to forgive him, according to AFP news agency. El-Boukhari Ben Essayouti, who headed the reconstruction of the monuments with UNESCO assistance, told AFP that Mahdi`s trial was an important lesson. The trial "has to be useful for something, showing to everyone that in the same way that we cannot kill another person with impunity, we cannot just destroy a world heritage site with impunity either," he said. As the head of the so-called Hisbah or "Manners Brigade," Mahdi, a former Islamic scholar gave the orders to ransack the sites. Apologising for his actions at the court, he said he had been overtaken by "evil spirits", urging Muslims not to follow his example, and saying he wanted to seek the pardon of all Malians, AFP reported. According to AFP, Prosecutors have asked for a jail term of upto 11 years. "The verdict is eagerly awaited," Lassana Cisse, Mali’s national heritage director, was quoted as saying by the international news agency. He added that it must be a "punishment which sets an example." (WION with inputs from AFP)

Malian jihadist to be sentenced today for razing nine Timbuktu monuments

Lawmakers in Mali agreed on Saturday to extend a 10-day state of emergency in the violence-wracked country by another eight months, officials said.&nbsp; 
 
In an extraordinary session of the National Assembly in Bamako, the 99 MPs present unanimously voted to maintain the state of emergency, a parliamentary source said. The extension will last until March 29, 2017, public broadcaster ORTM said. 
 
The government had declared a state of emergency on July 21, a day after an attack at an army base in central Nampala left 17 soldiers dead and 35 wounded. The state of emergency gives the security services greater powers and puts restrictions on public gatherings. 
 
Two groups -- the Islamist organisation Ansar Dine and a newly formed ethnic group -- both claimed to have carried out the raid on the military camp in Nampala, which the government described as a &quot;coordinated terrorist attack&quot;. Several security sources in the region said they doubted the veracity of the claim of responsibility from the National Alliance for the Protection of Peul Identity and Restoration of Justice (ANSIPRJ). 
 
The ethnic group was only founded last month following inter-communal clashes in the area and lacked the means to mount an attack, they said. Last week&#39;s attack was the latest in a series of assaults on security forces in Mali. A previous state of emergency in place since April had only been lifted the week before. 
 
Ansar Dine is a mainly Tuareg group that controlled areas of Mali&#39;s northern desert together with al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and a third local group in early 2012. Although the Islamists were largely ousted by an ongoing French-led military operation launched in January 2013, sporadic assaults from desert hideouts are common. Attacks have notably become more frequent in the country&#39;s centre, close to its borders with Burkina Faso and Niger, both from criminal and jihadist elements. 
 
In one high-profile attack last November, claimed by AQIM, jihadists stormed the capital&#39;s Radisson Blu hotel, killing 20 civilians, including 14 foreigners. 
 
(AFP)

The government had declared emergency on July 21, a day after an attack at an army base in central Nampala left 17 soldiers dead

Lawmakers in Mali agreed on Saturday to extend a 10-day state of emergency in the violence-wracked country by another eight months, officials said. In an extraordinary session of the National Assembly in Bamako, the 99 MPs present unanimously voted to maintain the state of emergency, a parliamentary source said. The extension will last until March 29, 2017, public broadcaster ORTM said. The government had declared a state of emergency on July 21, a day after an attack at an army base in central Nampala left 17 soldiers dead and 35 wounded. The state of emergency gives the security services greater powers and puts restrictions on public gatherings. Two groups -- the Islamist organisation Ansar Dine and a newly formed ethnic group -- both claimed to have carried out the raid on the military camp in Nampala, which the government described as a "coordinated terrorist attack". Several security sources in the region said they doubted the veracity of the claim of responsibility from the National Alliance for the Protection of Peul Identity and Restoration of Justice (ANSIPRJ). The ethnic group was only founded last month following inter-communal clashes in the area and lacked the means to mount an attack, they said. Last week's attack was the latest in a series of assaults on security forces in Mali. A previous state of emergency in place since April had only been lifted the week before. Ansar Dine is a mainly Tuareg group that controlled areas of Mali's northern desert together with al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and a third local group in early 2012. Although the Islamists were largely ousted by an ongoing French-led military operation launched in January 2013, sporadic assaults from desert hideouts are common. Attacks have notably become more frequent in the country's centre, close to its borders with Burkina Faso and Niger, both from criminal and jihadist elements. In one high-profile attack last November, claimed by AQIM, jihadists stormed the capital's Radisson Blu hotel, killing 20 civilians, including 14 foreigners. (AFP)

Mali extends emergency by 8 months

Mali&#39;s justice ministry announced today it had opened an investigation into the deaths of 17 soldiers killed in an attack on their base, as Malians observed the first of three days of mourning. 
 
The government declared a state of emergency after two groups, one jihadist and the other ethnic, both claimed to have carried out the raid on the military camp on Tuesday, which also left dozens wounded. 
 
&quot;A preliminary investigation has been opened by the chief prosecutor for terror offences,&quot; the ministry said in a statement, calling on Malians to &quot;inform the judicial authorities of anything that can help to advance our inquiries&quot;. 
 
A previous state of emergency in place since April had only been lifted the week before. 
 
Malian jihadist organisation Ansar Dine claimed responsibility for the attack, along with the recently-founded National Alliance for the Protection of Peul Identity and Restoration of Justice (ANSIPRJ). 
 
The military camp massacre in Nampala, central Mali, was the latest in a series of assaults on security forces in Mali, and was condemned as a &quot;coordinated terrorist attack&quot; by the government.&nbsp;Flags flew at half mast outside many buildings in the capital Bamako today, as President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita travelled to visit the wounded and pay tribute to the dead in Segou, the capital of the region where the attack happened. 
 
Mali has seen repeated violence since it fell under the control of Tuareg-led rebels who allied with jihadist groups linked to al-Qaeda in 2012, including Ansar Dine. 
 
Attacks are now becoming more frequent in the country&#39;s centre, close to its borders with Mauritania, Burkina Faso and Niger, both from criminal and jihadist elements.&nbsp;Although Islamists were largely ousted by an ongoing French-led military operation launched in January 2013, sporadic attacks from desert hideouts are common. 
 
(AFP) 
 
&nbsp;

This is the latest in a series of of assaults on security forces in Mali. The government condemned it as a 'coordinated terrorist attack'

Mali's justice ministry announced today it had opened an investigation into the deaths of 17 soldiers killed in an attack on their base, as Malians observed the first of three days of mourning. The government declared a state of emergency after two groups, one jihadist and the other ethnic, both claimed to have carried out the raid on the military camp on Tuesday, which also left dozens wounded. "A preliminary investigation has been opened by the chief prosecutor for terror offences," the ministry said in a statement, calling on Malians to "inform the judicial authorities of anything that can help to advance our inquiries". A previous state of emergency in place since April had only been lifted the week before. Malian jihadist organisation Ansar Dine claimed responsibility for the attack, along with the recently-founded National Alliance for the Protection of Peul Identity and Restoration of Justice (ANSIPRJ). The military camp massacre in Nampala, central Mali, was the latest in a series of assaults on security forces in Mali, and was condemned as a "coordinated terrorist attack" by the government. Flags flew at half mast outside many buildings in the capital Bamako today, as President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita travelled to visit the wounded and pay tribute to the dead in Segou, the capital of the region where the attack happened. Mali has seen repeated violence since it fell under the control of Tuareg-led rebels who allied with jihadist groups linked to al-Qaeda in 2012, including Ansar Dine. Attacks are now becoming more frequent in the country's centre, close to its borders with Mauritania, Burkina Faso and Niger, both from criminal and jihadist elements. Although Islamists were largely ousted by an ongoing French-led military operation launched in January 2013, sporadic attacks from desert hideouts are common. (AFP)

Mali opens terrorism inquiry after 17 soldiers killed

Mali extended a state of emergency for 10 days on Wednesday, the council of ministers said, after a spate of attacks by armed groups killed dozens and destabilised the country. 
 
The council of ministers also declared a three-day period of mourning for the 17 soldiers killed in an attack by suspected Islamists on an army base on Tuesday. 
 
Attacks resumed late on Wednesday. In one incident, suspected Islamists in six four-wheel vehicles opened fire on a military patrol vehicle in Mboukari, in the remote northern Timbuktu region of Mali, two military sources said. 
 
In a separate attack, in the village of Gatiloumou, in central Mali&#39;s Mopti region, militants attacked and burned down the town hall, both sources said. 
 
Mali originally declared a state of emergency in November and it was extended in April by three months. 
 
&quot;Despite the actions of the state, the terrorist threat persists as is evidenced by the recent attacks against the armed and security forces of Mali,&quot; the council of ministers said in a statement. 
 
Deteriorating security risks have plunged Mali into chaos that nearly tore it to pieces three years ago, when Islamists hijacked an ethnic Tuareg rebellion, before French forces pushed them back in 2013. 
 
Despite 11,000 UN peacekeepers deployed since the French intervention, militants still launch frequent attacks across Mali and its neighbours, including a high-profile assault on a hotel in the capital last November that killed 20 people. 
 
(Reuters)

The extension comes after 17 soldiers were killed in an 'Islamist' attack on an army base on Tuesday

Mali extended a state of emergency for 10 days on Wednesday, the council of ministers said, after a spate of attacks by armed groups killed dozens and destabilised the country. The council of ministers also declared a three-day period of mourning for the 17 soldiers killed in an attack by suspected Islamists on an army base on Tuesday. Attacks resumed late on Wednesday. In one incident, suspected Islamists in six four-wheel vehicles opened fire on a military patrol vehicle in Mboukari, in the remote northern Timbuktu region of Mali, two military sources said. In a separate attack, in the village of Gatiloumou, in central Mali's Mopti region, militants attacked and burned down the town hall, both sources said. Mali originally declared a state of emergency in November and it was extended in April by three months. "Despite the actions of the state, the terrorist threat persists as is evidenced by the recent attacks against the armed and security forces of Mali," the council of ministers said in a statement. Deteriorating security risks have plunged Mali into chaos that nearly tore it to pieces three years ago, when Islamists hijacked an ethnic Tuareg rebellion, before French forces pushed them back in 2013. Despite 11,000 UN peacekeepers deployed since the French intervention, militants still launch frequent attacks across Mali and its neighbours, including a high-profile assault on a hotel in the capital last November that killed 20 people. (Reuters)

Mali extends emergency by 10 days amid 'Islamist' attacks

Seventeen soldiers were killed and 35 wounded in central Mali in an assault on their base that authorities called a &quot;coordinated terrorist attack&quot;. 
 
&quot;The toll has increased: we have lost 17 men and 35 are wounded,&quot; Mali&#39;s defence minister Tieman Hubert Coulibaly said on Tuesday. Authorities had earlier announced that 12 soldiers were killed. 
 
Coulibaly called the assault a &quot;coordinated terrorist attack on our positions,&quot; but did not say who was responsible. 
 
The gunmen&#39;s descent on the military camp in Nampala was earlier claimed by a group from the ethnic Peul community, calling themselves the National Alliance for the Protection of Peul Identity and Restoration of Justice (ANSIPRJ). 
 
The group said it had killed eight troops and wounded 11 more, as well as making off with two trucks and five pick-up trucks. 
&nbsp; 
&quot;It was self-defence,&quot; Sidy Cisse, a senior ANSIPRJ commander, told AFP, adding three of his men were wounded. 
 
Earlier Al-Akhbar, a Mauritanian news agency, reported that several soldiers had been taken hostage, and the base was set alight. 
 
Senior figures within ANSIPRJ are also members of a Peul association that decried the murder of what it said were several Peuls falsely accused of supporting jihadists active in the area. 
 
A Peul radical, Amadou Koufa, leads the Macina Liberation Front (FLM), a new group that emerged in 2015 and has claimed responsibility for a number of attacks, some targeting security forces in central Mali. 
 
Several security sources in the region told AFP they doubted the veracity of the claim of responsibility from ANSIPRJ as the group was only founded last month following inter-communal clashes in the area and lacked the means to mount an attack. 
 
Coulibaly said the government was aware &quot;a group had issued a claim. We are being careful.&quot; 
 
&quot;One thing is sure, this was a terrorist action that targeted a military objective. So an appropriate military response is forthcoming,&quot; he added. 
 
The Malian government said the attackers would be hunted down and punished, and that the military had control of Nampala. 
 
Northern Mali has seen repeated violence since it fell under the control of Tuareg-led rebels who allied with jihadist groups linked to Al-Qaeda in 2012. 
 
But attacks are now becoming more frequent in the country&#39;s centre, close to its borders with Burkina Faso and Niger, both from criminal and jihadist elements. 
 
Although Islamists were largely ousted by an ongoing French-led military operation launched in January 2013, sporadic attacks from desert hideouts are common. 
 
(AFP) 
 
&nbsp;

Northern Mali has seen violence escalate since Tuareg-led rebels, allied with groups linked to Al-Qaeda, took control of the area in 2012

Seventeen soldiers were killed and 35 wounded in central Mali in an assault on their base that authorities called a "coordinated terrorist attack". "The toll has increased: we have lost 17 men and 35 are wounded," Mali's defence minister Tieman Hubert Coulibaly said on Tuesday. Authorities had earlier announced that 12 soldiers were killed. Coulibaly called the assault a "coordinated terrorist attack on our positions," but did not say who was responsible. The gunmen's descent on the military camp in Nampala was earlier claimed by a group from the ethnic Peul community, calling themselves the National Alliance for the Protection of Peul Identity and Restoration of Justice (ANSIPRJ). The group said it had killed eight troops and wounded 11 more, as well as making off with two trucks and five pick-up trucks. "It was self-defence," Sidy Cisse, a senior ANSIPRJ commander, told AFP, adding three of his men were wounded. Earlier Al-Akhbar, a Mauritanian news agency, reported that several soldiers had been taken hostage, and the base was set alight. Senior figures within ANSIPRJ are also members of a Peul association that decried the murder of what it said were several Peuls falsely accused of supporting jihadists active in the area. A Peul radical, Amadou Koufa, leads the Macina Liberation Front (FLM), a new group that emerged in 2015 and has claimed responsibility for a number of attacks, some targeting security forces in central Mali. Several security sources in the region told AFP they doubted the veracity of the claim of responsibility from ANSIPRJ as the group was only founded last month following inter-communal clashes in the area and lacked the means to mount an attack. Coulibaly said the government was aware "a group had issued a claim. We are being careful." "One thing is sure, this was a terrorist action that targeted a military objective. So an appropriate military response is forthcoming," he added. The Malian government said the attackers would be hunted down and punished, and that the military had control of Nampala. Northern Mali has seen repeated violence since it fell under the control of Tuareg-led rebels who allied with jihadist groups linked to Al-Qaeda in 2012. But attacks are now becoming more frequent in the country's centre, close to its borders with Burkina Faso and Niger, both from criminal and jihadist elements. Although Islamists were largely ousted by an ongoing French-led military operation launched in January 2013, sporadic attacks from desert hideouts are common. (AFP)

Armed group kills 17 soldiers at Mali base

The bodies of 34 migrants, including 20 children, who were abandoned by people smugglers while trying to reach neighbouring Algeria were found in the Niger desert last week, authorities said today. 
 
&quot;Thirty-four people, including five men, nine women and 20 children died trying to cross the desert,&quot; Niger`s interior ministry said in a statement. 
 
&quot;They probably died of thirst, as is often the case, and they were found near Assamaka,&quot; a security source told AFP, referring to a border post between Niger and Algeria. 
 
&quot;(The migrants) were abandoned by people smugglers,&quot; the statement added, and only two of the bodies have so far been identified -- a man and a 26-year-old woman both from Niger.&nbsp; 
 
Temperatures in the region can reach a brutal 42 degrees Celsius (108 degrees Fahrenheit), with blinding sandstorms tearing across the desert. 
 
The hostile conditions mean that only a fraction of those who die trying to cross the area are ever found. 
 
Thousands of illegal migrants have arrived in Algeria in recent years, mostly from neighbouring Mali and Niger. 
 
Libya used to play host to the majority of migrants in sub-Saharan Africa, but since that country descended into chaos following the ousting of Moamer Kadhafi, Algeria has become the main destination for the region`s migrants. 
 
Many transit through Algeria headed for Europe, but more than 7,000 migrants from Niger, mostly women and children, were returned to their home country in 2015 as part of an agreement between the two countries` governments. 
 
Europe has recently turned its attention to trying to curb the number of illegal arrivals from Africa, after a deal with Ankara in March slashed the number of people trying to cross from Turkey. 
 
More than 2,814 people have drowned trying to reach Europe since January, according to the UN refugee agency, prompting urgent efforts to tackle the problem. 
 
A new proposal mooted last week involves using &nbsp;EU funds to promote &nbsp;private investment of up to 60 billion euros ($68 billion) in countries where many migrants come from -- Ethiopia, Niger, Nigeria, Mali and Senegal, as well as Jordan and Lebanon. 
 
The European Commission also wants to speed up readmission deals with African countries, and with Pakistan and Afghanistan, to make it easier to send back people who do not win refugee status. 
 
The Commission is also set to unveil a plan for a &quot;blue card&quot; system for skilled migrants to come to Europe legally. 
 
The aim is to reduce the incentive for people to try to smuggle themselves into the continent on flimsy boats and put their lives at risk. 
(AFP)

Officials say they were trying to get to neighbouring Algeria, were abandoned by human smugglers

The bodies of 34 migrants, including 20 children, who were abandoned by people smugglers while trying to reach neighbouring Algeria were found in the Niger desert last week, authorities said today. "Thirty-four people, including five men, nine women and 20 children died trying to cross the desert," Niger`s interior ministry said in a statement. "They probably died of thirst, as is often the case, and they were found near Assamaka," a security source told AFP, referring to a border post between Niger and Algeria. "(The migrants) were abandoned by people smugglers," the statement added, and only two of the bodies have so far been identified -- a man and a 26-year-old woman both from Niger. Temperatures in the region can reach a brutal 42 degrees Celsius (108 degrees Fahrenheit), with blinding sandstorms tearing across the desert. The hostile conditions mean that only a fraction of those who die trying to cross the area are ever found. Thousands of illegal migrants have arrived in Algeria in recent years, mostly from neighbouring Mali and Niger. Libya used to play host to the majority of migrants in sub-Saharan Africa, but since that country descended into chaos following the ousting of Moamer Kadhafi, Algeria has become the main destination for the region`s migrants. Many transit through Algeria headed for Europe, but more than 7,000 migrants from Niger, mostly women and children, were returned to their home country in 2015 as part of an agreement between the two countries` governments. Europe has recently turned its attention to trying to curb the number of illegal arrivals from Africa, after a deal with Ankara in March slashed the number of people trying to cross from Turkey. More than 2,814 people have drowned trying to reach Europe since January, according to the UN refugee agency, prompting urgent efforts to tackle the problem. A new proposal mooted last week involves using EU funds to promote private investment of up to 60 billion euros ($68 billion) in countries where many migrants come from -- Ethiopia, Niger, Nigeria, Mali and Senegal, as well as Jordan and Lebanon. The European Commission also wants to speed up readmission deals with African countries, and with Pakistan and Afghanistan, to make it easier to send back people who do not win refugee status. The Commission is also set to unveil a plan for a "blue card" system for skilled migrants to come to Europe legally. The aim is to reduce the incentive for people to try to smuggle themselves into the continent on flimsy boats and put their lives at risk. (AFP)

34 migrants, including 20 children, found dead in Niger desert

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