2023-04-22 14:19:25
Suspected jihadists attacked, on Saturday April 22, a camp housing alleged Russian military instructors in the center of the Malitold AFP two local elected officials and a diplomatic source.
Two Malian military officials also confirmed that the attack took place in the town of Sévaré, in the Mopti region.
In 2022, the Malian junta had started working with what it calls Russian “instructors”. But for the opponents, it would rather be mercenaries of the Wagner group.
“We have no record at the moment. The situation is still confused. It was the jihadists who targeted Sévaré airport and the Russian camp next door,” an elected official told AFP. location on condition of anonymity.
From 5:30 GMT, four loud explosions were heard, followed by automatic weapon fire, several people on the spot told AFP. Smoke was also seen near the airport.
Security crisis
“It was the camp of the Russians and their planes that were targeted. The camp is near the airport. The jihadists surrounded part of the airport. there Minusma [mission multidimensionnelle intégrée des Nations unies pour la stabilisation au Mali, NDLR] halted their advance,” another local official told AFP.
The Minusma camp covers four hectares of land next to the airport and the Malian army camp, which houses the Russians. A Minusma official declined to comment when contacted by AFP.
For his part, a Malian military source in Sévaré contented himself with declaring to AFP: “We are facing a terrorist attack in Sévaré. Our men are on the ground”.
“It’s a ‘complex attack’ which required vehicle bomb, guerrilla technique. We will come back for the assessment,” said another military source.
>> To read also: Human rights in Mali: UN expert warns of shrinking freedoms
Mali has been going through a security crisis since jihadist and separatist insurgencies erupted in the north of the country in 2012.
It has been ruled since August 2020 by a military junta, which broke a long-standing alliance with France and other Western partners associated with the fight once morest jihadism and turned militarily and politically towards Russia.
With AFP
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