United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday strongly condemned the deadly attacks perpetrated by extremist groups in central Mali, while calling on the authorities to carry out a “swift” investigation to bring the attackers to justice.
More than 130 civilians were killed in terrorist attacks in Diallassagou, Diaweli and Deguessagou in the circle of Bankass, in central Mali, according to the Malian news agency (AMAP).
In a statement, the UN SG said he was “shocked and outraged by reports that at least a hundred civilians have been killed in attacks allegedly carried out by extremist groups against several villages in the region of Bandiagara, central Mali, June 18 and 19”.
He also said he was appalled by reports that dozens of civilians had been killed in other attacks carried out by extremist groups in the Gao region and by the significant loss of life and livelihoods in other areas. other regions of the country, notably in Ménaka, where tens of thousands of people have been displaced in recent weeks.
Mr. Guterres also called on the Malian authorities to redouble their efforts to bring peace and stability to Mali, while reiterating the availability of the United Nations and its Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) to support these efforts.
According to the media, armed men attacked the villages of Diallassagou, Dianweli and Dessagou where they massacred civilians and destroyed or set fire to everything in their path, including shops, attics and cars. Since 2012, Mali has been plagued by pro-independence insurgencies, extremist incursions and inter-community violence that have left thousands dead and hundreds of thousands displaced.
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