11 killed in central Mali amid suspicions over extremists

BAMAKO, Mali – Residents say a community militia has killed at least 11 ethnic Fulani people near a market in Mali’s volatile central region.

Idrissa Bamoye Maiga, a resident in Sofara, said Friday that a number of Fulani people came to the local market to sell their cattle on Tuesday and were gunned down by members of the Dozo militia.

Other residents confirmed the attack. The violence comes days before Mali’s runoff presidential election on Sunday.

The region faces deadly communal clashes along ethnic lines amid suspicions of villagers being recruited by extremist groups. Many from the majority Fulani community have been targeted.

The Dogon and Bambara communities, whose members make up the Dozo militia, accuse the Fulani of being extremist members or sympathizers. Fulani leaders say their community is unfairly targeted.