Jihadist forces launched coordinated strikes on five rural settlements in the Bandiagara region late Friday afternoon, targeting communities that rely on traditional hunters for protection.

The assaults struck Logo, Soulakanda, and Dimbal in Dimbal commune, as well as Ogossagou and Kouroundé in Bankass commune. Local defense groups, known as dozos, engaged the attackers in fierce combat. These hunters, who often fill security gaps left by state forces, suffered casualties alongside civilians caught in the crossfire.

Community leaders and local officials report at least twenty fatalities, including several dozos. One dozo leader expressed frustration over the lack of military intervention during the assaults, noting that no official statement has been issued regarding the attacks.

Displaced communities brace for further violence

Widespread panic has driven residents toward nearby towns, particularly Bankass, which is already overwhelmed by prior displacement. Aid workers warn that the humanitarian situation will deteriorate with this new influx of people fleeing violence. Earlier in the month, similar attacks in the same area resulted in more than fifty deaths.

A spokesman for the jihadist group had previously threatened to target villages sheltering dozo fighters or refusing to comply with local agreements imposed by the militants.