Gunmen killed at least 21 civilians in an attack on a village in central Mali’s insurgency-hit Mopti region on Friday, two local sources said on Saturday.
The unidentified assailants struck in the afternoon, targeting the village of Yarou near the town of Bandiagara, the sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
“It was real carnage, armed men burst into the village and fired on people. The toll is heavy between 20 and 30 killed and wounded,” one of the sources said by phone.
The West African nation is battling a violent insurgency with links to al Qaeda and Islamic State that took root in its arid north following a Tuareg separatist rebellion in 2012.
This is the best summary I could come up with:
BAMAKO, Aug 19 (Reuters) - Gunmen killed at least 21 civilians in an attack on a village in central Mali’s insurgency-hit Mopti region on Friday, two local sources said on Saturday.
The unidentified assailants struck in the afternoon, targeting the village of Yarou near the town of Bandiagara, the sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The West African nation is battling a violent insurgency with links to al Qaeda and Islamic State that took root in its arid north following a Tuareg separatist rebellion in 2012.
Militants have since spread to other countries in the Sahel region south of the Sahara, seizing territory, killing thousands and uprooting millions of people in the process.
The junta has burnt bridges with traditional Western allies and turned to Russian mercenaries for help.
Its unexpected demand in June for the departure of U.N. peacekeepers has raised fears the country could slide deeper into chaos.
The original article contains 234 words, the summary contains 151 words. Saved 35%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!
