Several people have been killed in coordinated attacks on the villages of Kori Kori and Gomossogou in central Mali, authorities confirmed on Thursday, as insecurity continues to escalate across the country.
The assaults, carried out on Wednesday, were claimed by the jihadist group Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin, which said it was targeting pro-Government militias allied with the Malian military.
The attacks also left several people injured, according to regional Governor Olivier Diassana, who described the violence as “cowardly” and “barbaric.”
The latest bloodshed follows major offensives launched last month by JNIM and the separatist Azawad Liberation Front against Government forces. Those attacks reportedly led to the capture of key towns and military positions from Malian troops and the Russia-backed Africa Corps.
Mali’s military-led government, headed by Assimi Goïta, has struggled to contain the worsening insurgency since taking power in a 2020 coup. The conflict intensified further after the death of former defence minister Sadio Camara during recent fighting.
JNIM is also reported to have imposed a partial blockade on Bamako, underscoring growing concerns over the deteriorating security situation in the Sahel nation.