Malian ethnic fighter group raided Dogon village of Sobane Da, killing at least 95 people including 24 children. “All these victims of horror and barbarity remind us of our responsibility as leaders to reinforce and accelerate security,” said Malian prime minister Boubou Cisse. The conflict between ethnic groups of Dogon hunters and Fulani herders is responsible for hundreds of deaths only for this year. Attackers supposedly arrived at motorbikes and trucks, surrounded the village and shot anyone who tried to escape while torching their homes.
“This country cannot be run by a cycle of revenge and vendetta,” commented Malian president Ibraham Boubacar Keita. In March, gunmen shot dead 150 Fulani people, which is one of the worst bloodsheds in the country’s history. The president also asked the nation to unite and allow its survival. The frustration of Malian people has increased as the government is unable to stop inter-communal and hardline conflicts that have intensified over the last few years, being not only more frequent but also more vicious. Attacks spread from northern to central Mali after a Fulani group led by preacher Amadou Koufa emerged in 2015.
The UN has stationed about 14.700 troops and police in the area. This makes the mission rated as the most dangerous, with as many as 125 peacekeepers having lost their lives since their deployment in 2013. Donor countries to the UN peace mission are planning on meeting at the Security Council to discuss renewing the peacekeeping mission in Mali. The meeting is held on Wednesday, with the decision expected to be delivered by 27 June.
