While dozo hunters and katiba Macina jihadists have come to an understanding in the Niono circle, they collide violently in the Djenné circle, in central Mali. Recent conflicts have left dozens dead in recent days, burning villages and displaced families.
The origins of the conflict go back more than a month and a half. The jihadists from Katiba Macina, led by Amadou Kouffa and affiliated with Jnim (the support group for Islam and Muslims from Iyad Ag Ghaly, linked to Aqmi), established in the circle of Djenné for several years, store bags of rice collected from villages in the circle. It is “zakat” (Islamic alms) imposed on the inhabitants. That day, in mid-February, traditional dozo hunters decide to pick up some of it.
Several dozen dead
Then began the reprisals, ambushes and attacks that rose in rank at the beginning of this month and culminated in the last four days: the sources – security officials, local authorities, notables and community leaders – provoke very varied and difficult to assess results Control: ten, thirty, maybe sixty dead on the dozo hunter side, as well as wounded and prisoners.
The Katiba Macina jihadists reportedly used several vehicles armed with rocket launchers. At least two villages were also burned by the jihadists, forcing their inhabitants and those in other nearby villages to take refuge in the surrounding municipalities, especially in Djenné and Sofara.
Try appeasement
The Djenné circle was the subject of an agreement between communities in August 2019 to guarantee free movement of all inhabitants: farmers, bamboos or bozos and Fulani shepherds. The agreement was signed by representatives of these communities and Dozo hunters, under the leadership of NGO Center HD and the local Malian authorities.
The Monitoring Committee met twice to try to calm the situation. Representatives of the various communities are currently trying to put an end to this new cycle of violence.
The Malian army has visited the site in recent days, but did not want to communicate about its actions.
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