Militants Attack Mali Army Base, 17 Soldiers Killed, 35 Wounded

The attack was reportedly a retaliation to deadly attacks by the Malian army against Peul population.

Soldiers stand next to the body of a militant outside the European Union military mission’s entrance in Bamako, Mali, on 21 March 2016. Photo used for representational purpose. (Photo: AP)

• 17 soldiers were killed and 35 wounded after militants attacked an army camp in Mali on Tuesday. A movement within the Peul ethnic group claimed responsibility for the attack.
  
  
• The gunmen arrived in Nampala on dozens of pickup trucks and motorcycles and took control of the city before leaving.
  
  
• “We attacked Nampala this morning to respond to the deadly attacks by the Malian army against our Peul population,” said Oumar Aldjana, the group’s secretary-general. Aldjana added that his group is not an extremist one.

(With inputs from PTI.)