Outbreaks of disease are increasing as public health services, including vaccinations, are disrupted
Mali army says eight soldiers killed in clash with armed militants
Eight Malian soldiers were killed, 14 others injured and four are missing following a clash with armed Islamist militants in the northeast of the West African nation on Friday, the defence ministry said.
Published : 19 Feb 2022, 10:42 AM
Updated : 19 Feb 2022, 10:42 AM
The ministry said late on Friday that columns of armed jihadists on motorbikes had pinned down the unit, but the army, backed by the air force, killed 57 of them in the tri-border area near Burkina Faso.
Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger are struggling to contain armed militants linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State that control swathes of territory in the porous border area of the West African Sahel that is larger than the size of Germany.
The attack comes as Mali's ruling military junta on Friday asked France to withdraw troops from its territory "without delay", calling into question Paris' plan for a four- to six-month departure and highlighting the breakdown in relations between Paris and its former colony.
RELATED STORIES
At least six others are missing and 22 survivors are being assisted by the agency and local authorities
"Because the boat was overcrowded and unsuited to carry passengers, it ended up sinking," BBC reports citing Jaime Neto, secretary of state for the province of Nampula
According to a local resident, at least 19 bodies were recovered after the incident with an additional 15 found on Friday morning
