At least seven people were killed in a violent assault on Sunday in Segue village, central Mali, according to local reports from the diocese and a civil society organization. The Mopti region’s diocese confirmed that among the victims was a relative of a prominent cleric, alongside six other men.
The local diocese described the incident as a “terrorist attack,” which also resulted in significant property damage. In a statement, diocese secretary and priest Daniel Camille Togo elaborated on the extent of the destruction.
A civil society group expressed shock at the news of the attack, which reportedly targeted both Segue and the nearby village of Sonfounou. The Patriotic Movement for the Unity and Safeguarding of the Bankass Cercle, based in the Mopti region, noted that the death toll from the incident had risen to nine, with seven fatalities in Segue and two in Sonfounou.
The organization reported that the attack resulted in widespread destruction, including the burning of a clinic, a village pharmacy, and an ambulance, as well as the destruction of the mayor’s private vehicle and the theft of multiple motorbikes.
As of now, it has not been possible for AFP to independently verify these figures with Mali’s authorities or other sources.
Mali continues to grapple with a complex political, security, and economic crisis, exacerbated by the presence of Al-Qaeda and Islamic State group factions since 2012, alongside a separatist insurgency in the volatile northern regions.
