On Wednesday, Mali's military junta confirmed that Islamist militants killed 42 soldiers in a sophisticated drone strike last weekend, three days later. announced national mourning for The announcement came on the same day that Mali's military leader, Colonel Asimi Goyta, discussed support for the Kremlin with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
State television station ORTM declared three days of mourning in an announcement read by presenter Bemba Her Sibby.
"Her three days of national mourning have been declared across the country beginning at midnight Thursday in honor of the civilian and military victims of the terrorist attack committed in Tesit," she said. says Siby.
After the death toll of 17 soldiers and four civilians announced on Monday, the government said in a statement Wednesday that they had been killed during an attack in the northern Mali town of Tesit. Updated numbers to include a total of 42 soldiers.
The statement also said Sunday's attack involved the use of drones and explosives, and that the perpetrators carried out "covert overflight operations" and used "major forces, including outside expertise." We are benefiting from the support."
Also on Wednesday, the Kremlin announced that Russian President Vladimir Putin could deliver food and fuel to Mali and continued Russia-Mali cooperation in a phone call with Mali's Interim President Asimi Goyta. announced that they had discussed
Mali received several military planes from Russia in a ceremony at the Bamako airport on Tuesday.
Mali has fought Islamist insurgents for the past decade, but French forces intervened after the Islamist occupation of northern Mali in 2013. French President Emmanuel Macron announced in February that Mali was collaborating with Russian mercenaries, after growing tensions between France and Mali's military junta, which came to power in a 2020 coup. announced the withdrawal of French troops from
Mali continues to deny working with Russian mercenaries and claims to work only with official Russian instructors. Since then, Human Rights Watch and several international media outlets have reported on allegations of human rights abuses by the Wagner Group, a paramilitary group associated with the Kremlin.
Security in Mali has increased in recent months, with Muslim attacks on the country's main military base in Kati, just 15 kilometers from Bamako, in July, resulting in widespread violence across the country. Several Islamist attacks were carried out against civilian and military targets.
