Mali drone strikes kill ten civilians at wedding in central San region
The incident in Tene marks a significant escalation in the conflict, occurring as armed groups impose a blockade on the capital and Russian mercenaries engage in urban combat.
Mali’s military has conducted drone strikes in the Tene locality of the central San region, killing at least ten civilians who were preparing for a traditional collective wedding. The attack on Sunday represents a sharp escalation in the country’s ongoing security crisis, which was triggered by a coordinated offensive launched in late April by al-Qaeda-linked Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) and Tuareg separatists from the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA).
Residents and local officials confirmed the casualty figures to the AFP news agency, describing a scene of profound grief in a community preparing for a major cultural event. One resident told AFP that “10 of our children” were killed, while a local official stated that the tragedy occurred just as the wedding was about to take place. A security source, speaking on condition of anonymity, indicated that the drones targeted a “procession of motorbikes following one another,” which drew their attention.
The strikes occur against a backdrop of severe instability following the April offensive, which resulted in the death of Mali’s defence minister and the capture of northern towns, including Kidal. According to Al Jazeera’s correspondent Nicolas Haque, military sources have reported an “unprecedented level of panic” within the armed forces as fighters from JNIM and the FLA target military compounds. Alex Vines, Africa director at the European Council on Foreign Relations, noted that Malian authorities appear to have been caught off guard by the latest wave of attacks.
The security situation has deteriorated further with the imposition of a blockade on the capital, Bamako, by the armed groups. Another wave of attacks by al-Qaeda-affiliated fighters on May 7 killed at least 30 people in the Mopti region, targeting the villages of Korikori and Gomossogou. Mali has faced unrest since 2012, and following military coups in 2020 and 2021, the government expelled former French and UN peacekeepers, subsequently turning to the Russia-controlled Africa Corps to replace the private Wagner Group.
Witnesses have reported that Russian mercenaries are currently fighting in Bamako, particularly around the airport, where they maintain one of their headquarters. The presence of the Africa Corps highlights the shifting nature of Mali’s security architecture as the government contends with a multi-front conflict involving separatist and jihadist factions.
