Egypt condemned on Monday a terrorist attack on a military base in Mali that killed 12 soldiers, according to a statement by the Egyptian foreign ministry. Al-Qaeda-linked groups have recently been moving into previously untouched parts of Africa, as Islamist terrorists seek to gain exposure in the Sahel and neighboring Burkina Faso, with which Mali shares a porous border.
“The post was attacked between 4 a.m. and 5 a.m. in Boulkessi, and there were 11 killed and five wounded,” Colonel Abdoulaye Sidibe was quoted as saying by Africa News.
He further confirmed that reinforcements have been deployed to the area to secure the place. It is not yet clear which group is responsible for the latest attacks. The military did not give further details about whether the assailants had been apprehended.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs extends its condolences and sympathy to the families of the victims and its wishes of speedy recovery to those injured as a result of this cowardly terrorist assault,” the ministry said in a statement.
“The ministry reiterates the solidarity of the Kingdom of Bahrain with the friendly Republic of Mali in its effort to fight terrorism in all its forms, and its support for the measures it takes to restore peace and security across its territories.”
In almost two months, it was the second time that part of the country has been attacked. The last one, also in Soum, resulted in the death of a dozen soldiers. France intervened in Mali in 2013 to drive back terrorist groups that seized the desert north a year earlier and maintains a regional operation aimed at stamping out insurgents.
