Bamako – (AFP)
On Thursday night, the Malian army announced the elimination of 19 “terrorists” and three armed groups since last March 22, during operations targeting extremists.
The Malian armed forces confirmed the “neutralization of four terrorists in the Nyono region” in the center of the country, the elimination of “three armed terrorist groups” in the south in the Baoli forest, and “15 terrorists” in the regions of Manfon, Vanike and Mandeki.
These deaths are added to the “203 fighters” of the “armed terrorist groups.” The Malian army had previously announced their deaths during an operation at the end of last month in the Mora region in the center of the country. It was later announced that an investigation had been opened into possible violations in the operation.
The UN envoy to Mali, Kassem Wani, welcomed the announcement, but on Thursday urged Bamako authorities to allow the UN to head into the hard-to-reach area.
Mali, which has been ruled by a military council since August 2020, has witnessed unrest that began in 2012 with the spread of armed men from its north to neighboring Burkina Faso and Niger.
