Last week, a triple terrorist attack claimed by GSIM, the Support Group for Islam and Muslims, linked to al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, targeted the Sokoura military camp and then civilians, killing a total of 24 people, according to the Malian army. has since launched a counter-terrorism operation in the area. According to several local sources, an operation was ruined by abuse.
A “large-scale operation” is underway, according to the Malian army, “on the Dogon plateau and the exposed area of Seno”. A counter-terrorism operation after the double attack last week on Sokoura military camp, 11 soldiers killed and a bus carrying civilians, 13 dead, according to the official report.
This operation aims to “protect the civilian population and fight terrorism” explains the Malian army without giving further details on the ongoing actions.
But the Kisal Association, a human rights observatory for pastoral communities in the Sahel, accuses the Malian army of abusing the Fulani community in this context. The village of Libbé in the district of Bankass would have been the subject of an attack during the day on Thursday: about fifteen bodies were found, almost all the houses burned, and the inhabitants, village chief understood, fled.
“They arrived, they surrounded the village and they fired,” said a local elected official, who regretted that the Malian soldiers had not attempted to make arrests or fired warning shots. “It is an act of revenge after the attack on the Sokoura camp,” considers this elected official, who explains and confirms information from the Kisal organization that the Malian soldiers were accompanied by traditional dozo hunters who serve as guides.
On the side of the Malian army, these accusations are swept aside, described by a spokesman as “propaganda”.
