Mali’s transitional government announced this Wednesday three days of national mourning after confirming on Sunday the death of 42 Malian soldiers in an attack attributed to jihadists in the northeast of the country, near the borders of Burkina Faso and Niger, an assault on the that the army “neutralized 37 terrorists”.
The army “reacted strongly to a complex and coordinated attack” on Tessit during which it had “42 killed and 22 wounded” in its ranks, also reporting “37 terrorists neutralized” and several of their equipment “abandoned” for “several hours of combat”. ”, according to this new balance published by the government in a press release. The previous figure reported 17 soldiers and four civilians killed.
An often attacked military camp
The Tessit sector, located on the Malian side of the three-border area, in a large rural region not controlled by the state, is the frequent scene of clashes and attacks.
The city and its military camp have often been attacked in the past. In March 2021, 33 soldiers were killed in an ambush by terrorists who were taking over.
Mali has been in crisis since 2012. The jihadist spread, initially confined to the north of the country, has spread to central and southern Mali, as well as to neighboring Burkina Faso and Niger.
Source: BFM TV
