Deadly mine blast strikes Mali transport route
Eight killed and 42 injured in mine explosion on Bamako-Kayes highway
A devastating explosion rocked the Bamako-Kayes highway when a civilian bus struck an improvised explosive device, leaving eight people dead and 42 others wounded, transport officials confirmed. The attack targeted a passenger vehicle traveling along a corridor frequently targeted by armed groups operating in western Mali.
- terror attack
The toll from the mine strike continues to rise as authorities report eight fatalities and 42 injuries among civilian passengers onboard a bus traveling the Bamako-Kayes route. The explosion occurred Monday on a critical transport artery linking Mali’s capital to its western regions, an area frequently disrupted by armed violence.
Mamadou Kassambara, spokesperson for the national drivers’ union, verified the casualty figures Tuesday, emphasizing that the victims were ordinary travelers. Meanwhile, conflicting reports emerged from a paramilitary formation operating in Mali, which cited five deaths and over a dozen injuries. That group claimed the attack was orchestrated by the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimin), an Al-Qaeda affiliate, and accused the movement of carrying out the strike.
The western corridor remains a persistent flashpoint for armed assaults and roadside bombings. Earlier this year, local security sources noted coordinated operations by the JNIM alongside a predominantly Tuareg rebel movement, underscoring the persistent instability gripping the region.
