A terrorist attack on a military post in Mali has left 53 soldiers and one civilian dead, government spokesman Yaya Sangare said in a statement. Th
A terrorist attack on a military post in Mali has left 53 soldiers and one civilian dead, government spokesman Yaya Sangare said in a statement.
The Malian Army said earlier that 20 soldiers survived the attack and that the situation was under control. An investigation was ongoing.
The attack, claimed by Daesh, occurred early Friday at a base in the Indelimane area in the northern part of the country bordering Niger, the army said.
It follows an attack that killed 38 Malian soldiers at two army posts in early October. Militants were also thought to be responsible in that case.
The European Union stressed its support for the government and the people of Mali in the fight against violence, a spokeswoman of EU foreign policy representative Federica Mogherini said Saturday. The stability of Mali and the whole region were a priority for the bloc, she added.
France’s Elysee Palace confirmed on Saturday that a French soldier was among the dead. France, the former colonial power in the region, has deployed around 4,500 troops in Operation Barkhane to fight terrorism in the region.
Daesh claimed the attacks, its mouthpiece Amaq said on social media.
Mali’s centre and north have experienced regular flare-ups of violence and attacks in the wake of a 2012 military coup that saw separatist rebel groups and later al-Qaeda associated militants take control of the region.
French and African military operations, combined with the Malian army’s efforts, have scattered militants and restored government control over the area, but rebel activities and military operations continue despite the signing of various peace agreements.