Jihadists attack five villages in central Mali

In the Mopti region of central Mali, simultaneous attacks struck five villages late Saturday afternoon, leaving at least twenty people dead. The assaults targeted communities in Dimbal and Bankass communes, where jihadist fighters clashed with traditional Dozo hunters—local militia groups filling security gaps left by national forces.

Eyewitnesses and local officials confirmed the violence erupted between 5:00 and 6:00 PM local time, with the Jnim militant faction reportedly responsible. Among the casualties were both Dozo hunters and civilians. A Dozo leader interviewed on-site expressed frustration over the lack of military intervention during the assaults, noting no official statements had been released in response.

Civilian displacement and growing insecurity

Following the attacks, residents fled toward nearby towns, particularly Bankass, which already hosts significant numbers of internally displaced persons. Aid workers warned that the new influx could strain already limited humanitarian resources. Earlier this month, a similar wave of violence in the same area claimed over fifty lives, deepening concerns about the region’s escalating instability.

Local dynamics fuel ongoing conflict

Jnim has previously warned of further reprisals against villages hosting Dozo bases that refuse to comply with locally negotiated agreements with jihadist groups. The group’s threats underscore the fragile balance between self-defense militias and armed factions operating in central Mali’s volatile countryside.