Mopti bus massacre
| Mopti bus massacre | |
|---|---|
| Location | Mopti Region, Mali |
| Date | December 3, 2021 |
| Deaths | 31 |
A massacre occurred on December 3, 2021, in Mopti Region in central Mali. A group of unknown insurgents shot at a bus and set it on fire, killing 31 civilians. Most of the victims were women travelling from the town of Songo-Doubacore to a market in the town of Bandiagara.[1]
The mayor of the closest town, Bankass, said that the gunmen shot the tires on the bus before going on to shoot the civilians to death.[1] After the crime scene was visited by state security officers,[1] they found 25 burnt bodies in the vehicle's trunk.[2]
The massacre happened on the same day that Islamist rebels attacked a group in the region, killing two UN peacekeepers. The attacks were part of a bigger campaign by jihadists in West Africa.[3]
Reactions
Mali's president, Assimi Goïta, ordered all people in Mali to fly the country's flags at half-mast from Sunday to Tuesday, during which Mali would hold three national days of mourning.[3]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Mali: Dozens of civilians killed after militants attack bus" (in en-GB). BBC News. 2021-12-04. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-59528860. Retrieved 2021-12-04.
- ↑ "Militants kill at least 31 in central Mali, say local authorities" (in en). Reuters. 2021-12-04. https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/militants-kill-least-31-central-mali-say-local-authorities-2021-12-03/. Retrieved 2021-12-04.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Suspected jihadists kill at least 30 in central Mali (in en). France 24 (2021-12-04). Retrieved 2021-12-04.