Armed Group Attacks Wedding in Central Mali, Killing at Least 21

In Summary

• Armed attack on a wedding in central Mali.
• At least 21 people were killed; attackers arrived on motorcycles.
• The attack is part of ongoing violence by extremist groups, particularly al-Qaeda-linked JNIM.
• Mali’s military rulers struggle to control the violence, with a collapsed peace deal worsening the situation.

BAMAKO, MALI- An armed group attacked a wedding ceremony in central Mali, killing at least 21 people, local residents reported on Wednesday. The attack occurred in the village of Djiguibombo in the town of Bandiagara on Monday evening as residents were celebrating a wedding.

The attackers, riding motorcycles, surrounded the large crowd at the wedding and carried out the brutal assault. "Most of the victims had their throats slit," said Bakary Guindo, president of the local youth group. Hamidou Saye, a resident of the village, confirmed the details of the attack. No group has claimed responsibility, but it follows a pattern of violence by the al-Qaeda-linked extremist group JNIM (Jama'a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin), which has frequently targeted this area.

Communities in central and northern Mali have faced relentless violence since 2012. Extremist rebels, initially ousted from power in northern cities in 2013 with the help of French troops, have since regrouped and launched attacks on isolated villages and security forces.

Nearly four years after taking power and following the departure of foreign peacekeepers, Mali’s military rulers have struggled to contain the escalating violence. The collapse of a 2015 peace deal with Tuareg rebels in the north has further deepened the security crisis, leaving the government with limited success in restoring stability.