Suspected Terrorists Kill 14 Civilians in Central Mali’s Lere

Suspected terrorists killed 14 civilians in Lere, central Mali, after accusing them of collaborating with the army. According to local and UN sources, the attackers kidnapped and executed several residents, while others fled to Mauritania following a 24-hour evacuation ultimatum. The al-Qaeda-linked JNIM group has blockaded Lere and nearby towns for two weeks, cutting fuel supplies and worsening living conditions.

Suspected terrorists have killed 14 civilians in the central Malian town of Lere in recent days, according to officials and local residents who spoke to AFP on Thursday. The attack is the latest in a series of violent incidents that continue to destabilize the region, where communities have suffered from insecurity for over a decade.

Mali has been grappling with an insurgency since 2012, marked by repeated assaults from both local criminal gangs and terrorist groups linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State. These groups have exploited ethnic tensions and weak state control in remote areas, spreading violence across the Sahel region and displacing thousands of people.

A local government official, who requested anonymity due to security concerns, said the recent violence began on Monday when armed men stormed parts of Lere. “They kidnapped 12 people, who they then killed,” the official explained, describing the attack as one of the deadliest in the area in recent months.

In a separate incident, two shepherds who had been abducted four days earlier were later “found dead a few kilometres from the town,” the same source added. The attackers allegedly accused the civilians of collaborating with the Malian army, which has been carrying out operations in the region against terrorist groups.

A United Nations representative confirmed to AFP that they had received credible reports of “14 civilian men being executed.” The official added that hundreds of residents have fled their homes in the past 48 hours to escape further attacks, highlighting the growing humanitarian crisis in the area.

Some residents who managed to flee to neighbouring Mauritania recounted their ordeal, saying that the armed men had issued an ultimatum. “They gave us 24 hours to leave the town,” one of the survivors said. “Those who refused or couldn’t leave were either murdered or taken hostage.” The displaced residents are now living in precarious conditions across the border, relying on aid and local support.

The JNIM, a terrorist group affiliated with al-Qaeda, has maintained a blockade on Lere and other nearby towns for the past two weeks. Since September, the group has also obstructed the entry of fuel tankers from neighbouring countries into Mali, worsening shortages of basic supplies and crippling local economies.

A United Nations official explained that JNIM justified its blockade by accusing the people of Lere of “not respecting the conditions they had set,” though the specific demands remain unclear. Local residents have reported increased restrictions on movement and trade, with goods and humanitarian aid struggling to reach the town.

A security source based in Timbuktu, the main city in northern Mali, confirmed that “at least 10 people” had been killed in the latest wave of attacks. A Malian soldier who travelled to Lere to verify the situation also described the scene as “a massacre,” saying that the level of brutality underscored the attackers’ intent to terrorize the population and assert control over the area.

The renewed violence in Lere highlights the continuing challenges faced by Mali’s transitional authorities and their foreign partners in restoring stability. Despite efforts by the army and local militias to regain control, many rural areas remain under the influence of armed groups that continue to exploit insecurity, impose blockades, and target civilians perceived as disloyal.