Mali under siege by terrorists, 64 dead

Mali under siege by terrorists, 64 dead

A series of attacks by terrorists in northern Mali on Thursday left 64 people dead, according to a government official.

The attacks targeted both civilians and soldiers, and showed the fragility of the security situation in the region.

Boat attack on Niger river

One of the attacks was on a passenger boat that was travelling on the Niger river from Timbuktu to Gao. The boat was carrying about 100 people, mostly traders and farmers.

The terrorists opened fire on the boat, killing 49 civilians and injuring many others. Some of the passengers managed to escape by jumping into the water and swimming to the shore.

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Army base attack in Bamba

The other attack was on an army base in Bamba, a town in the Gao region. The terrorists launched rockets and mortars at the base, killing 15 soldiers and wounding several others. The army responded with air strikes and ground operations, killing some of the attackers and destroying their vehicles and weapons.

The government condemned the attacks as “barbaric and cowardly” and vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice. The government also expressed its condolences to the families of the victims and its solidarity with the people of Mali.

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