Mali Violence Escalates As Islamic State-Linked Attack Kills 48, Hundreds Flee

At least 48 people, including children and elderly residents, were killed in a weekend attack by Islamic State-affiliated militants in eastern Mali, with preliminary estimates suggesting the death toll could exceed 70. The attacks struck multiple communities in the Ménaka region, forcing hundreds of civilians to flee their homes.

Fighters from the Islamic State in Sahel Province (ISSP) attacked civilians overnight from Sunday into Monday, according to Moussa Ag Acharatoumane, a Tuareg leader and member of Mali’s National Transitional Council, who spoke to The Associated Press on Tuesday.

According to Acharatoumane, the militants accused civilians of revealing their positions to the Malian army, which had been conducting drone strikes against the group. The violence also triggered mass displacement, with hundreds of residents reportedly fleeing towards Ménaka town after their homes were burned and their property looted.

Reuters reported that the attacks appeared to be retaliation for alleged abuses against civilians suspected of providing information to ISSP. Sources accused the Movement for the Salvation of Azawad (MSA), a pro-government militia, and Russia's Africa Corps of involvement in killings, arson and looting during the preceding week. These allegations have not been independently established.

ISSP had not claimed responsibility for the killings in the reports available on Tuesday. Mali's military spokesperson and Russia's embassy in Bamako did not respond to Reuters' requests for comment.

The latest violence underscores the worsening security situation in the Sahel region, where armed extremist groups continue to target communities and compete for territory.

ISSP operates primarily in Ménaka and across neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger. It faces competition from Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), an al-Qaeda-affiliated militant organisation active across the region.