16 soldiers dead in attack in Central Mali [Morning Call]

At least 16 soldiers were killed in a raid on an army camp in central Mopti region on saturday night. According to a first witness account from the mayor of the nearest town Kareri, Youssouf Coulibaly, the base where the attack took place is in the village of Dioura.

The militants are reported to have began a coordinated strike on the base after arriving by motorcycles and heavily armed vehicles.

The suspected jihadists then reportedly attacked the base from two directions before overrunning its defenses.

So far, no group has claimed the attack, but suspected jihadists belonging to al Qaeda’s Group for Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM) is being widely suspected.