Malian troops and allied forces have found 54 bodies at a camp in northeastern Mali, following reports of attacks on civilians, the military said.
The bodies were discovered in Tagadayat, about 30 to 35 kilometres from Ménaka, during a joint patrol deployed after reports of attacks in the area, according to the General Staff of the Armed Forces. The victims were buried at the site.
Nine survivors were found and evacuated to Ménaka for medical treatment.
The military said preliminary accounts from survivors attributed the killings to the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS), also known as the Islamic State in the Sahel. The group operates in the border areas between Mali and Niger.
The announcement follows reports of an October 18 attack in Tagadayat, when representatives of the Idaksahak community reported that at least 48 civilians had been killed, several others wounded and residents displaced. That earlier toll had not been officially confirmed.
The military’s figure of 54 reflects the bodies found during subsequent field searches. It should not be added to the earlier reported toll, as the figures may refer to the same incident.
The army said it had increased patrols in the area and helped relocate residents from vulnerable camps to Ménaka. Security operations are continuing.
