Deadly Airstrikes Hit Village in Northern Mali, Killing 21 Civilians

In a devastating attack, airstrikes on a village in northern Mali near the Algerian border on Sunday killed 21 civilians, including 11 children, a spokesman for a coalition of Tuareg-majority pro-independence groups said. The attack marks the largest number of civilians killed by drones since the breakdown of a peace agreement between the country’s ruling military junta and armed pro-independence groups in northern Mali last year.

The strikes targeted a pharmacy and later targeted people gathering in the vicinity of the initial damage, according to a statement released by the coalition. The provisional toll of the “criminal strikes” stands at 21 civilians killed, including 11 children and the pharmacy manager, dozens wounded, and enormous material damage, the statement said.

The Malian military confirmed the airstrikes, claiming they targeted terrorists. However, the strikes come at a time when the Malian army and mercenaries from the Russia-based Wagner Group have been defeated by Tuareg rebels and fighters from the Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin, an al-Qaida-linked group.

The attack has sparked concerns that civilian casualties may continue to rise amid military setbacks. Rida Lyammouri, a senior fellow at the Policy Center for the New South, a Moroccan think tank, said that Malian forces along with Russian mercenaries lack a strong presence on the ground in the Kidal region, making the use of air assets, including drones, the only way to engage against armed groups in the area. Therefore, airstrikes, including against civilians, are expected to increase as an act of revenge following the recent major setback to Wagner mercenaries in northern Mali.

The Strategic Framework for the Defense of the People of Azawad is a coalition of Tuareg-majority groups fighting for the independence of northern Mali, which they call Azawad. The group has been at odds with the Malian government, and the recent attack is seen as a major escalation in the conflict.

The international community has condemned the attack, with many calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities and a peaceful resolution to the conflict. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of violence and the need for diplomatic efforts to bring about peace and stability to the region.