Islamic State-linked militants kill 48 in Mali's Menaka region

Islamic State-linked militants killed 48 people in the Menaka region of eastern Mali on Sunday night. The attack stretched into Monday morning and hit civilians, including children and the elderly. Moussa Ag Acharatoumane, a Tuareg leader and member of the National Transitional Council, said the fighters were from Islamic State in Sahel Province (ISSP). He added the group blamed locals for revealing its positions to the Malian army, which had been carrying out a drone strike. ISSP mainly operates in Menaka and competes with the jihadist group Jama'at Nusrat al‑Islam wal‑Muslimin (JNIM) across the Sahel, including Burkina Faso and Niger. The militant group has not claimed responsibility for the killings. On Monday the Malian army reported locating a major terrorist base 65 km southwest of Menaka, describing it as housing several fighters, equipment and supplies, and said it was successfully hit. The Sahel region is now the world’s deadliest hotspot for extremist violence. Military governments in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger have struggled to curb attacks even after turning to Russia for assistance.

Context

The rivalry between ISSP and JNIM drives frequent attacks on civilians as each seeks local support. Drone strikes by the Malian army aim to disrupt militant hideouts but can provoke retaliation. The involvement of Russian advisers reflects the governments’ search for stronger security partners in a region where extremist activity has surged.