Over 70 Killed as Jihadist Attacks Escalate in Central Mali

Dozens of people have been killed in a fresh wave of jihadist attacks in central Mali, as armed groups intensify assaults on villages amid worsening insecurity across the country.

Local officials and security sources said attacks carried out on Friday pushed the death toll from recent violence in the region to more than 70, while another official estimated that at least 80 people may have been killed in the past few days.

The latest attacks were claimed by the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), an Al-Qaeda-linked militant group that had earlier carried out deadly assaults on villages on Wednesday, killing at least 30 people.

Residents described scenes of devastation as militants targeted communities across central Mali.

“Our hearts are bleeding,” a local youth leader said, accusing nearby military units of failing to intervene despite repeated calls for assistance.

Security sources described the situation as increasingly alarming, warning that militants were specifically targeting villages that refused to enter into local agreements with armed groups.

The renewed violence comes weeks after JNIM and the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA), a Tuareg-dominated armed movement, launched a major offensive against Mali’s ruling military junta.

Since the assault, security conditions in the country have continued to deteriorate, with several northern areas reportedly falling under the control of armed factions.

Mali has faced years of insurgency linked to jihadist groups affiliated with Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, despite repeated military operations and regional security interventions.

The escalating attacks have deepened concerns over the junta’s ability to restore stability as violence spreads across large parts of the country.