Bamako, Oct 21: Militants linked to the Islamic State (ISIS) have carried out a horrific attack in the West African nation of Mali, reportedly killing approximately 70 civilians.
According to a report by the Daily Mail, there are allegations that some of the victims were burned alive. This violence has erupted amidst an intensifying conflict involving militants affiliated with Al-Qaeda.
Sources indicate that the attacks took place over the weekend in the Menaka region, located in the eastern part of Mali. Security sources and local officials suggest that the militants may have committed these acts in retaliation, targeting individuals suspected of providing information to pro-government forces.
Attacks across five locations
Militants from the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS)—often referred to as the Islamic State Sahel Province (ISSP)—carried out attacks in at least five locations within the Menaka region. As of Tuesday, the exact death toll had not been definitively confirmed; however, various sources estimate the number of fatalities to be between 48 and over 70.
During these retaliatory attacks on Sunday, the militants set fire to homes and stole livestock. Consequently, hundreds of civilians have fled their homes and sought refuge in the town of Menaka. Sources have indicated that while some victims died after being trapped in fires, others were shot dead.
No group with ties to ISIS has officially claimed responsibility for this attack.
Allegations against Russian-backed forces:
There are allegations that pro-government militia forces—which participated in operations alongside the Malian army—and the Russian paramilitary group ‘Africa Corps’ committed atrocities against civilians last week. Local officials suggest that militants linked to ISIS may have carried out this attack in retaliation.
According to a local administrative official in Menaka, the MSA militia—operating alongside the Malian army and the Africa Corps—perpetrated abuses against civilians suspected of providing information to ISIS. The official alleged that approximately 12 people were killed, homes were set on fire, and other property was looted.
When contacted for comment regarding these allegations, neither a spokesperson for the Malian army nor the Russian Embassy in Bamako provided a response. Mali has previously denied accusations that civilians have been killed during counter-terrorism operations.
Fighting against militants since 2012:
Mali has been facing attacks by militants since 2012. The French military intervened after Tuareg separatists and militants linked to Al-Qaeda established dominance in the northern part of the country.
In April, Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM)—a regional affiliate of Al-Qaeda—and the Tuareg-led Azawad Liberation Front carried out attacks across the country. These attacks resulted in the death of the Defense Minister and included an assault on a major airport in the capital, Bamako.
In recent weeks, an intense conflict has been unfolding between JNIM and the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISSP). The ISSP has claimed to have killed 400 JNIM militants after thwarting an ambush that JNIM had planned to execute in neighboring Burkina Faso last week. If confirmed, this would mark the deadliest single engagement between the two organizations.
According to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED)—an organization that monitors conflicts—the ISSP and JNIM first clashed in 2019. Since then, they have engaged in hundreds of confrontations, resulting in more than 2,000 deaths.