In Mali, after the terrorist attack in Mondoro, which left 27 dead in the ranks of the Malian army, the latter is hunting down those responsible. The situation in the region seems to be stabilizing.
This Monday, March 7 is the last day of national mourning decreed by Assimi Goïta, in tribute to the Malian soldiers killed in the Mondoro garrison, in central Mali. The attack by terrorist groups last Friday left 27 dead and 33 injured, including 21 seriously, in the ranks of the Malian Armed Forces (FAMa).
#Mali confirms the death of 27 soldiers and killing 70 militants during an attack in Mondoro, Mopti Region and declares three days of national mourning. https://t.co/99QBPICKPB pic.twitter.com/m2Je9mUaH3
— Beverly Ochieng (@BeverlyOchieng) March 5, 2022
If the inhabitants of the region deplore the late counter-attack of the army, which they say all the same “support night and day”, the answer of Bamako was relatively effective. According to local media and Malian government announcements, there are 47 terrorist fighters killed on Friday, and another XNUMX over the weekend, including ten bombed by Malian military aviation.
A balance sheet that is not enough to make people forget the losses within the army. But the fact remains that, contrary to the past months and years, the populations have not doubted the support of the State. In the city of 42 inhabitants, only a few dozen civilians moved before returning to their villages.
Few reliable data have leaked out as to the terrorist group responsible for the attack. Even if the Mondoro region, the circle of Douentza, experienced several incursions by the Katiba Macina, the author of this recent attack, targeting soldiers, is said to be another group, the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (EIGS), commanded by Yoro Abdeslam after the death of its leader, Adnane Abou Walid al-Sahraoui, the last year.
In Mondoro, populations in solidarity with the army
According to a press release from the general staff of the armies of Mali, among the terrorists killed on Sunday were leaders from Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali.
“Some terrorist leaders have been neutralized, namely: Iboune Ibrahim and Malam Aboubacar, all of Nigerian nationality, Alfousseni Barry, Iboune Younoussa alias Bobala and Nouhoum Dicko, all of Burkinabe nationality, Hassani Barry from the village of Dialoubé, Amadou Dicko from the village of Boni, Ague Issa alias Nassourou all of Malian nationality,” the statement read.
Malian government spokesman Abdoulaye Maïga said that “the combing of Malian special forces immediately deployed in the area made it possible to find and neutralize 47 terrorists in the morning”.
The populations of the border region with Burkina Faso have suffered several terrorist attacks since the start of the offensive by jihadist groups in 2012. What the inhabitants of Mondoro deplore, above all, is the lack of infrastructure for telecommunication. The latter are systematically destroyed by terrorist groups, who try to impose an embargo in the city and its surroundings.
"One of the terrorists' key recommendations is to demand that the population dissociate themselves from the army in place in Mondoro," said the secretary general of the Mondoro youth association, Oumar Ongoiba, who had organized a rally in support of the FAMa. “And our group today was to block this request from the armed groups,” says the activist.