At least ten civilians have been killed in military drone strikes in central Mali as villagers prepared for a traditional mass wedding, security and local sources have told AFP.
The strikes occurred on Sunday in the San region, turning what residents described as a moment of celebration into a scene of grief.
A resident of Tene, the affected locality, said on condition of anonymity: “Ten of our children were killed. What was supposed to be a moment of joy in the village turned into immense sorrow.”
A security source, who also requested anonymity for safety reasons, confirmed the strikes and said they targeted “a procession of motorbikes following one another – that is certainly what drew the attention of the drones”. He added that the community had been preparing the second edition of a traditional collective wedding, a major cultural event.
A local elected official also confirmed the death toll, telling AFP: “A wedding was about to take place when the drones killed at least ten civilians. It is truly a time of mourning.”
The attacks come amid a deepening security crisis in Mali, following large-scale coordinated offensives last month by the Al-Qaeda-linked Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM) and Tuareg separatists from the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA). Those offensives targeted positions held by the ruling junta, killed the country’s defence minister, and led to the capture of Kidal and other northern towns. The FLA and jihadists now control those areas and have imposed a blockade on the capital, Bamako.
Since 2012, Mali has faced escalating violence driven by Al-Qaeda and Islamic State affiliates, separatist groups, and community-based criminal networks.
