AFRICA.Mali: Unidentified gunmen have killed six people at a checkpoint in Zantiguila near Bamako, the capital of Mali. Half of the slain persons were law enforcement operatives, while the remaining half were civilians.
Mali’s Security Ministry disclosed this Friday evening. A night before, gun-wielding men besieged the checkpoint stationed about 70km (43 miles) away from Bamako, the capital of Mali.
The ministry said the attack was carried out by unidentified armed men, killing three civilians and three law enforcement officers, and wounding two others.
According to news agencies, Zantiguila is located along the road leading to the central city of Segou. This was not the first time gunmen have wreaked havoc near the capital city, Bamako. On June 24, a contingent of armed men attacked a police station along the checkpoint road, killing an officer.
Since the 2012 coup in Mali, the country has strived to stem multifaceted violence, especially in the northern and central regions which are more prone to attacks by factions of insurgents owing allegiance to al-Qaeda and the ISIL (ISIS), among other armed groups.
The coup had since spread violence in Mali as well as neighbouring countries, like Niger, and Burkina Faso, rendering millions of citizens homeless and killing thousands of persons.
Mali has experienced three such coups since 2020, making it one of the most politically unstable countries in the Sahel region.
Military officers are not satisfied with how the government handles protracted violence seized power in August 2020. This was followed by another one in May, the year after.
As per findings, the military government in Bamako is looking forward to Russia, and away from France and its partners. This was a calculated move to thwart the infiltration of fighters into the capital city. This scenario has further affected the affinity between Mali and France.
The French forces are expected to be pulled out from Mali in the coming weeks. With the success of this, they will move to Niger, yet another country suffering armed men campaigns.
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