Dozens killed in jihadist attacks on villages in central Mali
Dozens of people have been killed in jihadist attacks on villages in central Mali, with sources putting the death toll between 30 and 50. The strikes deepen the security vacuum left after Russia's Africa Corps withdrew from a key base in the country's north.
Coordinated jihadist attacks on villages in central Mali on Wednesday killed at least 30 villagers, with some sources putting the toll closer to 50. Officials said armed groups raided several villages simultaneously, torching homes and grain stores in the assaults.
The attacks underline a deepening crack in the Sahel's security architecture. The withdrawal of Russia's Africa Corps from a key base in northern Mali has created an opening for jihadist groups to regroup, while the ruling junta searches for fresh cooperation arrangements with Moscow.
The West African bloc ECOWAS said the regional plan to protect civilians needed to be reopened. The UN and humanitarian agencies warn that the number of newly displaced people could climb into the tens of thousands within weeks if the violence is not contained.
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