Unnamed sources said unidentified gunmen carried out the attack in the afternoon in Yarou village near Bandiagara town.

"It was a real massacre. Armed men stormed the village and opened fire, causing serious casualties. About 20-30 people were killed and injured," a source stressed.

Scene of an attack in Kati (Mali), July 22, 2022.

A second source said that among the 21 people killed were women. In addition, 11 others were injured.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack.

Mali’s security forces have been battling violence linked to Al Qaeda and the Islamic State (IS) since 2012. The violence has also spread to other countries in the Sahel region, south of the Sahara Desert. Jihadists have seized territory, killed thousands and displaced millions.

Frustration over growing insecurity has led to two military coups in Mali since August 2020. In June this year, the military government unexpectedly asked UN peacekeepers to withdraw from Malian territory, raising concerns that the country could sink deeper into chaos.

VNA

*Please visit the International section to see related news and articles.