Civilian casualties mount as army drone strikes target wedding preparations
At least ten civilians, mostly young men, were killed in a series of drone strikes conducted by the Malian army on Sunday. The incident occurred in Téné, a village in the San region of central Mali, as the victims gathered for a traditional collective wedding celebration.
The timing of the strikes has raised concerns amid escalating violence across the country. Just days earlier, coordinated large-scale attacks by Islamist militants and a predominantly Tuareg rebel group had left communities in shock. The Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), an Al-Qaeda affiliate, and the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) were involved in those offensives, further destabilizing an already fragile security landscape.
Local witnesses described the scene as chaotic, with families mourning the loss of their loved ones just hours before what was meant to be a joyous occasion. The San region, a hotspot for militant activity, remains under heightened military surveillance as authorities struggle to curb the spread of violence.
