Bamako, Aug 9 (UNI/Xinhua) More than fifty civilians were killed Sunday in several attacks in Mali's northern region of the Gao, local media reports said on Monday.
Local security sources have already confirmed these attacks with a heavy casualty, without specifying the exact number of deaths, online media Gao-Infos said.
According to witnesses, four villages were attacked, including Ouatagouna, Dirgua, Deouteguef and Karou. "In addition to the deaths, several shops were looted and animals taken away by the assailants," a local official said, on condition of anonymity for security reasons.
The Malian authorities have not yet officially confirmed this attack on civilian populations in the north of the country.
Since 2012, Mali has been facing a profound and multifaceted security, political and economic crisis. Independence insurgencies, then jihadist incursions and intercommunal violence have left thousands dead and hundreds of thousands displaced, despite the presence of UN (MINUSMA), French (Barkhane) and European forces (Takuba).
UNI/XINHUA GNK 1901