(dpa) At least 27 soldiers were killed and 33 others injured, some seriously, in a serious attack on a military camp in Mali. Seven military personnel are still missing, as the interim government announced late Friday evening.
The attack happened in the morning near the town of Mondoro. At first, no one claimed responsibility for the bloody deed. Similar attacks had been committed by Islamist groups in the past. In a chase, 70 of the attackers were “made harmless”, as the statement says.
Terrorist groups have been active in the West African crisis state, which has suffered three military coups since 2012, and in the surrounding countries for years. Some have sworn allegiance to al-Qaeda or the Islamic State. UN and EU missions are active in the state.
Last May, the military overthrew the interim government in the former French colony with around 20 million inhabitants, which was supposed to be in office until the 2022 presidential election. Putschist leader Assimi Goïta then had himself proclaimed the new interim president and postponed an initially planned presidential election by several years, which triggered protests.