A joint operation by the Malian army and the French anti-jihadist force Barkhane, underway in northeastern Mali, has resulted in the “neutralization” of some 20 jihadists, the Malian Armed Forces (FAMa) announced Saturday evening.
The Malian army reported on Twitter, without further details.
Northern Mali had fallen in March-April 2012 under the control of jihadist groups, largely dispersed by a military intervention launched in January 2013 at the initiative of France. This intervention continues with Operation Barkhane, which mobilizes some 4,500 soldiers in the Sahel.
But entire areas of Mali are beyond the control of Malian, French and UN forces, despite the signing in 2015 of a peace agreement intended to definitively isolate jihadists.
Read also: Atiku vs Buhari: Dino Melaye provides evidence of INEC Server
Since 2015, violence has spread from the North to the center, and sometimes even to the South. They are very often involved in inter-community conflicts, a phenomenon that also affects neighboring Burkina Faso and Niger.
