At least eight people lost their lives and 42 sustained injuries when a civilian passenger coach struck an explosive device on the road connecting Bamako to Kayes, situated in western Mali. The incident unfolded on Monday along a strategic transportation route that has consistently faced armed violence. The public transport vehicle encountered the mine while traversing this critical axis linking the Malian capital to the nation’s western regions.

Mamadou Kassambara, communications officer for the national drivers’ union, confirmed the casualty figures on Tuesday, emphasizing that all victims were civilian passengers aboard the coach. Meanwhile, Africa Corps, the Russian paramilitary formation present in Mali, released a different assessment via social media, reporting five fatalities and more than a dozen wounded. This group attributed the responsibility for the assault to the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (GSIM), an organization affiliated with Al-Qaeda.

This particular segment of Malian territory remains a frequent target for armed attacks and improvised explosive device incidents. Our observations indicate that as recently as April, the GSIM had executed several coordinated operations alongside a Tuareg-dominated rebel movement.