Dozens Killed in Fresh Attacks in Central Mali as Death Toll Climbs to Over 70
BAMAKO — May 10, 2026 — A fresh wave of attacks by jihadist fighters in central Mali has killed dozens of people, local and security sources confirmed on Saturday, May 9, bringing the total number of fatalities from a series of assaults in recent days to more than 70.
The latest attacks, which occurred on Friday, May 8, were claimed by the Al-Qaeda-linked Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), according to local officials . The group had already killed at least 30 people in attacks on villages on Wednesday, May 6 .
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Death Toll Rises Above 70
One local official told AFP that the latest attacks by armed groups had raised the total death toll to more than 70 in recent days . Another local official put the number of dead at 80 . A security source described the situation in the region as “worrying” .
“Our hearts are bleeding,” one local youth leader said, accusing nearby army detachments of failing to respond despite multiple calls for help .
JNIM Claims Responsibility
The Al-Qaeda-linked JNIM claimed responsibility for Friday’s attacks . A security source said JNIM is specifically “targeting villages that refused to sign local agreements” .
The latest attacks come just over a week after JNIM and the Tuareg-dominated Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) carried out an unprecedented coordinated assault against Mali’s ruling junta in late April . That offensive targeted strategic towns including Kidal in the desert north and Kati, a garrison town near the capital Bamako .
Defense Minister Sadio Camara, the 47-year-old architect of Mali’s military alliance with Russia, was killed by a car bomb at his residence during those attacks .
Northern Cities Under Rebel Control
Since the late April offensive, Kidal and other towns and villages in the north have been captured and are now under the control of the FLA and jihadist groups . The insurgents have since imposed a blockade on Bamako by setting up checkpoints on the roads leading into the capital .
Mali’s security situation has become critical, with several areas in the north now controlled by armed groups . The Malian army has been working with the Russian paramilitary group Africa Corps — which emerged from the Wagner Group — against the insurgents . In the face of the attacks, Russian forces were forced to withdraw from Kidal, which is now under FLA control . The FLA has said they will march on other cities in the north and have demanded the withdrawal of the Africa Corps from the entire country .
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Central Mali Violence
Central Mali has been plagued by insurgent violence for years. The attacks on Wednesday, May 6, targeted the villages of Korikori and Gomossogou in the Mopti region, with a youth official reporting at least 35 killed . A security source said those assaults were in retaliation for acts committed by the Dan Nan Ambassagou militia, a self-defence group formed by local communities .
“The victims are mostly militiamen. But there are also teenagers and children,” a source told AFP .
In a counter-attack, the Malian army said it carried out “a targeted operation against terrorist armed groups” in the area and around a dozen fighters were “neutralised” .
Since 2012, Mali has been plagued by insurgencies, and large parts of the north and east of the country remain outside government control . In June 2026, more than 130 civilians were killed in the town of Diallassagou in attacks attributed to JNIM jihadists .
SOURCES / INPUTS
- Daily Trust: Again, terrorists hit Mali, killing more than 30
- GhanaWeb: Mali: More than 30 killed in twin central attacks
- Arab News: Mali junta chief to take over killed defense minister’s role
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