At least six civilians were killed on Tuesday, July 30, by drone strikes on the Malian town of Tinzaouatène, located near the Algerian border in the north of the country. It is here that the Malian army and mercenaries from the Wagner group have just suffered a major setback against the Malian rebels of the CSP.
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According to several sources including an elected official, drone strikes killed at least six civilians on July 30 in Tinzaouatène. They are believed to be Nigerians, Sudanese and Chadians. Gold miners, they were working on a site not far from this town in the north of Mali. ” The toll is heavier ” believes Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadan, the spokesman for the rebels of the Permanent Strategic Framework (CSP). ” There are dozens of civilians killed, mostly Nigerians and Chadians. ” he told our regional correspondent Serge Daniel.
Question about the authors
Who are the perpetrators of these drone strikes? According to the CSP spokesperson, the drones were sent either by a country neighboring Mali ruled by a junta, such as the Burkina Faso where the Nigereither by Russian mercenaries and the Malian army who wanted to take revenge after the last setback suffered in Tinzaouatène.
Is this a blunder? When questioned, a Malian military source explained: ” We are carrying out security operations in the area and it is armed terrorists who have been targeted and not civilians. “.
These events have in any case caused the civilians who were still there to flee. Some come from Kidal, a town located more than 200 kilometres further south. Humanitarian workers are worried and are calling on theAlgeria neighbor to open its border to these Malian nationals.
Read alsoMali: Malian army acknowledges significant losses in Tinzaouatène in new statement