Six soldiers die, 20 injured in Mali terror attacks

Six soldiers were killed and 20 injured in simultaneous attacks targeting three army bases in central Mali Sunday, the army said.

Targets in Sevare, Niono, and Bapho were all hit by “armed terrorist groups (who) used suicide vehicles packed with explosives”, the Malian army said in a statement.

A group linked to the firebrand preacher Amadou Koufa claimed the attacks, according to audio sent to AFP Sunday from a source close to the suspected attackers.

The group, Katiba of Macina, belongs to the Group to Support Islam and Muslims (GSIM), an Al-Qaeda-linked alliance and the biggest jihadist network in the Sahel.

“On Sunday morning, the mujahideen of the Katiba of Macina struck three camps of the (Malian armed forces),” a member of the group told AFP in an audio message.

The source said Bapho and Niono were hit, in line with information from Mali’s army.

It also said Segou was attacked, which was not among the targets mentioned by the Malian army.

"We hit these camps at the same time within five minutes of each other. (Apart from the) deaths, we caused material damage to them,” the audio recording said.

Military sources earlier told AFP the attacks occurred at 0500 GMT in Sevare, Niono, and Bapho, all in the centre of the country.

In Sevare, “there was a double terrorist attack with shots fired and machinery exploded,” one of the sources said.

“The army retaliated. We are not able to provide a toll at the moment,” the source added.

“We have asked MINUSMA (the UN Mission in Mali), as part of our collaboration, to send a rapid intervention force near the Sevare camp to help secure it,” the source continued.

A separate military source within MINUSMA confirmed the information.

One of the poorest countries in the world, Mali is struggling with a decade-long jihadist insurgency that has claimed thousands of lives and driven hundreds of thousands from their homes.

Public anger at elected president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita’s failure to roll back the insurgency provided the spark for a military takeover in August 2020.

Source: PUNCH

Comments

EPL: Klopp names world’s best coach ahead of Man City clash

Liverpool manager, Jurgen Klopp, has named his Manchester City counterpart, Pep Guardiola, as the best coach in the world. Klopp made these remarks on Friday during his press conference, ahead of this weekend’s trip to the Etihad. “Pep is the best coach in the world. “I think we would all agree on that and it might be a coincidence that it didn’t work out in the Champions League so far. "If anybody doubts him, I have no idea how that could happen,” he said. Ahead of Sunday’s meeting, City lead Liverpool, who have won their last 10 Premier League games, by just one point. Source: DAILY POST

EPL: Erik ten Hag tells Cristiano Ronaldo to leave Man United

Incoming Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has informed the club that veteran forward, Cristiano Ronaldo will not be part of his team at Old Trafford next season, according to The Star. The Dutchman has agreed a deal in principle to take over as permanent manager at Old Trafford this summer with major changes expected at the club. Over ten players have been lined up to leave Old Trafford as the 52-year-old Dutchman is asking the club to allow him to control United’s transfer dealings. Paul Pogba, Edinson Cavani and Jesse Lingard are among the high-profile names expected to move on. However, The Star now report that the Ajax boss has given the green light for Ronaldo to leave. The Portuguese star sealed an emotional return to Manchester last summer, signing a two-year deal with the option of a third. The 37-year-old has produced some more memorable moments during his second stint at the club. But with Manchester United heading towards a fifth consecutive season without ...

2023: It’s North-Central turn to produce president, says Saraki

As politicians jostle for the nation’s presidency in 2023, former Senate President Bukola Saraki has said that it was the turn of the North-Central geopolitical zone to lead the country. Saraki spoke on Tuesday in Jos when he addressed delegates from Plateau ahead of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primary elections slated to hold in May. The former Kwara governor, who is among the many aspirants in the race for the PDP ticket, pointed out that the North-Central had consistently supported other regions to lead the country and deserved similar support from other zones, this time. “You remember that before the national convention of our party, we held a meeting in Abuja with delegates of North-Central extraction. “We said to ourselves that for many times and many years, we, in the North Central, have worked hard, we struggled, used our efforts, used our money, used our energies to support other people to lead. “Everybody, who had become President under this great party, go...

PEN TO THE WORLD

Search This Blog