On October 13, 2022, an IED hit a civilian bus travelling along the Bandiagara-Goundaka highway in rural Mali, killing 10 civilians and injuring dozens more. The attack was alleged to be coordinated by Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM).
| 2022 Bandiagara highway bombing | |
|---|---|
| Part of Mali War | |
| Location | Sibo, Bandiagara-Goundaka highway, Mopti region, Mali |
| Date | October 13, 2022 |
| Deaths | 11 civilians killed |
| Injured | 53 injured |
| Perpetrator |  Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin |
Prelude
editThe tri-state area between Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger has been a hub of jihadist violence since 2013, escalating in 2015. The area is home to several jihadist groups, including Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin, Islamic State in the Greater Sahara, and Ansar ul Islam.[1] In these areas, these militant groups often conduct bombings or ambushes along the highway against Malian, Nigerien, and Burkinabe troops, although they often conduct attacks against civilians.[2] In 2022, the United Nations reported an increase in civilian attacks in rural Mali, especially due to roadside bombs.[2] The Mopti region, where Bandiagara is located, was the deadliest region for these attacks, due to fighting between the army, pro-government and ethnic civilian militias, and the jihadist groups across the Mali-Burkina Faso border.[2] Two deadly bus bombings and ambushes occurred in northern Burkina Faso in September 2022, with one in Silgadji and one in Gaskinde killing a total of over seventy people, including dozens of civilians.
Bombing
editOn the afternoon of October 13, a civilian convoy was travelling between Bandiagara and Goundaka, when they hit an IED near the village of Sibo.[3][1] Moussa Houseyni, the leader of the Bandiagara Youth Association, in conjunction with local hospitals, claimed that the death toll was eleven killed and fifty-three people injured.[3] A local policeman, speaking to Libération, claimed all the dead were civilians.[4] Data from the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED) suggested the perpetrator was Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin.[5]
References
edit- ^ a b "Mali: Explosive device kills at least 10 civilians in Mopti Region Oct. 13". Mali: Explosive device kills at least 10 civilians in Mopti Region Oct. 13 | Crisis24. Retrieved 2023-03-30.
- ^ a b c "Mali – Increase of civilian victims of explosive devices (DG ECHO, UNMAS) (ECHO Daily Flash of 14 October 2022) - Mali | ReliefWeb". reliefweb.int. Retrieved 2023-03-30.
- ^ a b "Mali bus blast leaves over 10 dead, dozens wounded". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 2023-03-30.
- ^ LIBERATION; AFP. "Au Mali, une dizaine de passagers d'un car civil tués par un engin explosif". Libération (in French). Retrieved 2023-03-30.
- ^ Francisco, Ladd Serwat, Susanna Deetlefs, Ariane Dinalli (2022-10-20). "Regional Overview: Africa 8-14 October 2022". ACLED. Retrieved 2023-03-30.
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