Armed fighters kill at least 30 people in attacks in central Mali

Several sources tell Reuters and AFP that the al-Qaeda-affiliated assailants hit two villages in Mopti Region on Wednesday.Dozens of people have been killed in attacks reportedly carried out by al-Qaeda-affiliated fighters in central Mali, the deadliest assault since armed groups launched a widespread coordinated assault late last month.According to local, security and administrative sources speaking to the AFP news agency on Thursday, attacks on the villages of Korikori and Gomossogou in the Mopti Region killed at least 30 people a day earlier. Three sources – including an aid worker, a diplomat and a security source – separately told the news agency Reuters that the assailants had hit two unnamed localities in Mopti, killing at least 50 on Wednesday.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Mali leader Goita takes defence post after minister killedlist 2 of 3Tuareg rebels hold dozens of soldiers in Mali as prisonerslist 3 of 3Mapping Mali’s gold and natural resource wealthend of listThe latest attacks come a day after armed fighters stormed the Kenieroba Central Prison, a recently built complex about 60km (37 miles) southwest of Bamako, which houses 2,500 prisoners, including at least 72 inmates considered “high value” by the Malian state.Mali was shaken by a wave of attacks since April 25 and 26, when the al-Qaeda-linked ⁠group Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) joined forces with the Tuareg-dominated rebel group Azawad Liberation Front (FLA).On top of the resurgence in violence and the blockade, civilians are caught at the height of the dry season, said Al Jazeera’s Nicolas Haque.“It hasn’t rained in months, and there has been conflict over water resources, specifically in the centre of Mali between Fulani villagers and Dogon militia group supported by Malian forces – so this is a flashpoint,” he said.The April attacks showed how fighters from different groups with different goals could strike at the heart of the West African country’s military government.