In Mali, the town of Nioro du Sahel, near the Mauritanian border, in the southern part of Mali, suffered an attack on Monday January 6, claimed by Jnim, the Support Group for Islam and Muslims, linked to al-Qaeda. This attack comes as the jihadist group broadcast an audio message on Sunday announcing the death of an important religious leader from the same town of Nioro, kidnapped at the end of December.
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The attack began in the night, shortly before 10 p.m., and lasted approximately an hour and a half. Testimonies and videos filmed during the attack report heavy shooting and the use of heavy weapons.
The Malian army, in a press release published this Tuesday, mentions “ terrorists infiltrated in large numbers in the city with internal complicity » who are « attacked at certain sensitive points in the city “. According to several local testimonies, the jihadists stormed a gendarmerie post and the Nioro governorate before leaving the city on motorcycles.
Civilians or jihadists killed?
The Malian army indicates that it has “ vigorously repelled the attack », Claims to have killed 30 jihadists and recovered weapons. A Malian soldier is said to have died.
This Tuesday, Malian soldiers exhibited bodies in the city. But in its claim, the Jnim asserts that it is mainly civilians that the army presented as killed jihadists – the Jnim would have identified only one of its fighters.
So many unverifiable assertions from an independent source. The images of bodies lying on the ground were transmitted to RFI, without weapons or turbans, some in jeans or shorts, which however does not allow us to say with certainty that they are civilians.
Died before being judged
This attack comes the day after the broadcast on Sunday of an audio message from Jnim, linked to al-Qaeda, announcing the death of a religious leader from Nioro in the Sahel.
Thierno Amadou Hady Tall, caliph general of the Tijaniyya brotherhood in Nioro du Sahel, was kidnapped on December 26. The jihadists accused him of collaborating with the Malian transitional authorities and especially with the Malian army. In this last message, authenticated by several sources, notably Malian security, it is Hamadoun Kouffa, head of the Katiba Macina of Jnim, who speaks. He claims that the objective was to have Thierno Amadou Hady Tall tried by an Islamic Court, but that the Malian religious leader died en route, before arriving at his destination.
Also readMali: Jnim claims the kidnapping of religious leader Amadou Hady Tall
“Unconfirmed information”
However, the death of Thierno Amadou Hady Tall is not taken for granted.
The High Islamic Council of Mali did not react. According to several sources within the HCIM, the organization considers that doubt still hangs over his death and is waiting to have concrete evidence.
Same position for the family of Thierno Amadou Hady Tall, who believes that the information on this death is at this stage “ unconfirmed ” And ” currently being verified “. No additional details: the family does not wish to make any statement at this time.
“ They may be in shock, they want to check, but I think he’s dead », Estimates a Malian security source, who recalls that the religious leader was shot and injured during his kidnapping. Other informed observers also doubt that this message from Jnim could be false.
“ Everyone takes refuge in prayer », Finally testifies a close friend of the Caliph, who continues to maintain hope.