25 civilians killed in an attack by gunmen in Mali

BAMAKO, Mali — Gunmen have attacked a convoy of vehicles escorted by Mali’s army, killing 25 civilians mostly gold miners, a military spokesman said Sunday.

The attack took place Friday about 30 kilometers (18 miles) from Gao, the largest city in the country’s northeast where armed groups hostile to the ruling junta operate. It was the deadliest attack on civilians this year.

The assailants targeted a convoy of some 60 vehicles escorted by the army, military spokesman Col. Maj. Souleymane Dembélé told The Associated Press. He said soldiers assisted the victims and transferred 13 wounded to the Gao hospital.

He said four of the attackers were wounded and declined to comment on any army casualties.

“My sister survived the attack, but she’s in a state of mental shock. She saw a lot of dead and wounded, a whole scene of horror. It was the first time she had seen dead people,” said a Gao resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity for his own safety.

No armed group has claimed responsibility for the attack. Several groups operate in the area, including the Islamic State group, the al-Qaeda-linked JNIM, and others from the Azawad region hostile to Mali’s military regime.

Mali has been in a crisis for more than 10 years.

The military seized power in 2020, capitalizing on the unpopularity of the former democratically elected government, but the new rulers have struggled with deadly militant attacks.