At least five people, including customs officers and civilians, were killed Saturday in southeastern Mali in a “terrorist attack” on a customs post, a military source and a local elected official said.
“A terrorist attack caused the death of seven civilians and customs officers at the Koutiala checkpoint,” near the border between Mali and Burkina Faso, the military source was quoted by media as saying.
“There was a terrorist attack today at a security post near Koutiala. At least five customs officers and civilians were killed,” a local elected official was also quoted by the media as saying.
Both sources did not give a precise number of customs officers and civilians killed in the attack. “The enemies also suffered casualties. The situation is currently under control,” the military source said.
The Malian army was conducting a combing operation Saturday in the Koutiala area, near the border with Burkina Faso, a country that has been the scene of violence attributed to jihadists.
Mali has suffered attacks by terrorist groups linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State organization since 2012, as well as violence of all kinds perpetrated by self-proclaimed vigilantes and bandits.