Mali: Ségou region curfew extended by 30 days amid rising violence

Authorities in Mali’s central Ségou region on Tuesday have extended a nighttime curfew in place since June by another 30 days, after a new wave of violence in the area. 

The prolonged curfew took effect on 3 September and runs to 2 October, between midnight and 5 am. 

The Ségou governor first installed a local 30-day curfew in June, originally applying between 9 pm and 6 am.

The latest extension of the measure came after armed men killed the mayor of the rural town of Dogofry on Saturday. Local sources attributed the murder to traditional Dozo hunters.

Jihadists from the Islamist Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) organisation also attacked a military camp in the town of Farabougou on 19 August, forcing civilians to flee and the army to give up their positions. 

JNIM claims to have killed 21 soldiers and several civilians but no official death toll has been released.  Combatants from the al-Qaeda linked group have since retained control over Farabougou. 

These attacks illustrate the ongoing security threats gripping Mali and the Sahel. 

In the first sixth months of 2025, the Ségou région has recorded 323 security incidents, causing 736 civilian victims, according to the United Nations refugee agency. 

The Kayes and Sikasso regions in southern Mali have also established curfews in the last three months, amid lasting insecurity.