The security situation in Mali has been deteriorating as the government seems powerless to deal with rising incidences of jihadist attacks against security and civilian populations.
After they recently carried out abductions in a village, the jihadists are reported to have killed at least 11 persons following attacks in the centre and south of the country.
The Malian authorities are yet to identify which jihadist group is responsible, but those killed included women and children in the regions of Segou, Mopti and Koulikoro.
Among those killed was an imam found dismembered by the jihadists who are bent on imposing Islamic law in the areas under their control.
The jihadists also attacked a transport vehicle on the Parou-Songobia highway in the Mopti region precisely in Bandiagara, the fief of the Dogon hunters, who have put in place a self-defence group against the jihadists.
In the attack, the jihadists abducted the passengers of the vehicle and the driver and their whereabouts are still unknown.
Those wounded in the attack have since been transported by the regional health authorities to hospital.
On the heels of the Bandiagara attack, an old man was dismembered by unidentified gunmen in Badialan quarters in the locality of Fana.
Authorities are at a loss about the identity of the perpetrators of the crime, especially as within less than one year, at least five persons have been dismembered in the locality by unidentified persons.
Investigations into the murders are yet to bring about the arrest of the criminals.
Meanwhile, very reliable sources said another imam was assassinated in Niono, Segou region, by yet to be identified individuals. The imam was found dead in his house in N’Debougou quarters.
Latest reports about the capture of Farabougou by jihadists say in spite of the heavy mobilisation of the Malian army with the arrival of the Vice-President of the Malian transitional authority, Assimi Goita, the jihadists continue to hold sway in the town and have completely encircled it. This situation has lasted for more than one month, even as elements of the special crack forces are on the ground.
Negotiators, including notable personalities of the town, have been in talks with the jihadists to persuade them to leave the area.
The general opinion in the country is that the recurrent deadly attacks against civilians in the north and centre of the country are as a result of the total absence of the Malian authorities in the areas.
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