The death toll from an attack in southeastern Mali rises to 8

Bamako – AFP
Two customs agents and six civilians were killed in southeastern Mali in an attack by “unidentified gunmen” on a customs post at the weekend, according to a new toll reported by two security and administrative sources.
According to an earlier report, given by two military and local sources, that at least five people were killed in this attack in the Koutiala region, near the border with Burkina Faso, which is also affected by the violence.
The military source and the elected local official said the attack was carried out by “terrorists”.
An official document, whose authenticity was confirmed on Sunday by the Koutiala police station, indicates that the police “counted eight dead, including two customs agents, six civilians, and four seriously wounded, all of whom were civilians.”
The same document states that “the attackers took, during their withdrawal, a customs vehicle, which contained a customs agent and six machine guns,” without specifying the fate of the customs agent.
She added that the attack was carried out by “unidentified gunmen” who were on motorcycles and a light truck.
A source in Koutiala province had reported on Sunday that the death toll was eight, including two customs officers and six civilians, customs volunteers and drivers.
Mali witnessed two military coups in August 2020 and May 2021, and the political crisis in the poor country is accompanied by a dangerous security crisis that has continued since 2012, following the outbreak of a separatist rebellion, followed by another in the north.