UN chief ‘outraged’ by deadly attack in central Mali

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has expressed outrage over an attack in which nearly 100 civilians were reported killed in central Mali on Sunday.

“I am outraged by reports that at least 95 civilians, including women and children, have been killed following an attack yesterday in central Mali.

“My heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims, the people and the Government of Mali’’ Guterres said in a tweet on Monday.

Media reports say the attack occurred in Sobame Da village inhabited by the Dogon ethnic group, near Sanga town in the Mopti region of the country.

According to the BBC, the Malian Government has blamed “suspected terrorists” for the attack, which it said happened around 3 a.m. local time.

In recent months, the country has experienced numerous attacks, some ethnically driven and others carried out by jihadist groups, the BBC reported.

Clashes between Dogon hunters and semi-nomadic Fulani herders are frequent in the region.

On May 31, the UM Mission in Mali in a report said the security situation in central Mali had “continued to deteriorate”.

It said the clashes between the Dogon and Fulani had been worsened by the presence of extremist groups.

According to the mission, the central region has recorded the highest number of attacks against civilians with hundreds of people reportedly killed since the beginning of the year.