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Kani Bonzon massacre

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Kani Bonzon massacre
Part of Mali War
LocationKani Bonzon, Bankass Cercle, Mali
DateFebruary 23, 2023
Deaths20+
Injured4+
PerpetratorUnknown jihadists

On February 23, 2023, unknown jihadists attacked the village of Kani Bonzon in Bankass Cercle, Mopti Region, Mali, killing at least twenty people.

Background

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Central Mali's Mopti Region has been a hotbed of violence between various jihadist groups and pro-government forces along ethnic lines since the early 2010s.[1] These tensions are mainly between nomadic Fulani herders and Dogon self-defense groups and hunters known as dozos.[1] Fulani groups are accused of supporting the jihadist Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin and its local branch, Katiba Macina.[1] This inter-communal conflict has seen attempts for ethnic cleansing against the Fulani by dozos, which provokes attacks on Dogon villages by Fulani self-defense groups and jihadists.[1]

Massacre

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The massacre took place in Kani Bonzon, a village in Bankass Cercle.[2] One witness stated that the attack began with a small group of jihadists being spotted over a hill heading towards the town, which was followed by larger waves of jihadists.[3] The mayor of Bankass stated that unidentified armed men burst into the village and attacked the population using guns and explosives.[2][4] The attackers burned granaries and homes, and looted cattle.[5][6][2] The attackers then began chasing survivors into the forests to kill them.[2] A nearby hospital reported twelve bodies and four injured in their clinic, which was corroborated by Malian officials.[7][2][4] Survivors stated at least twenty people, including women, children, and the elderly, were killed in the massacre.[4] The attackers also kidnapped three civilians and fled with them.[6]

The funerals took place on February 24.[3]

Aftermath

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At least 1,600 people were displaced from Kani Bonzon and forced to settle in surrounding villages.[5] Following the massacre, residents and refugees in Bandiagara protested to demand more security in the area from the Malian government.[5] One protester begged for help from MINUSMA.[6] 930 students were also halted from continuing schooling due to the massacre.[5] By April 2023, many of these refugees were still in the surrounding villages and did not return to Kani Bonzon.[8]

Malian officials visited Kani Bonzon on February 28, the delegation being led by Minister of National Reconciliation Ismaël Wagué alongside Oumarou Diarra. Survivors of the attack told Wague and Diarra to build a security post in the town, which the Malian authorities stated would happen.[9]

A local politician attributed the attack to jihadists, but did not mention a specific group.[10] Jihadist groups attacked the village of Tabangolo near Kani Bonzon on February 25, two days after the attack.[4]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Central Mali: Putting a Stop to Ethnic Cleansing | Crisis Group". www.crisisgroup.org. 2019-03-25. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Gunmen Kill at Least 12 Civilians in Central Mali Village". Voice of America. 2023-02-24. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  3. ^ a b "Bereaved families mourn relatives after attack in central Mali". Africanews. 2023-02-25. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  4. ^ a b c d "Mali - Attacks against civilians in the Mopti region (DG ECHO, DG ECHO partners, media) (ECHO Daily Flash of 28 February 2023) - Mali | ReliefWeb". reliefweb.int. 2023-02-28. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  5. ^ a b c d "Mali: l'ONU s'inquiète du sort des déplacés internes dans le centre du pays". RFI (in French). 2023-04-02. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  6. ^ a b c "13 civilians killed in jihadist attack in Mali: local sources". RFI. 2023-02-24. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  7. ^ "Mali: Humanitarian situation report in Bandiagara, Douentza and Mopti regions Situation Report #1 - 30 March 2023 - Mali | ReliefWeb". reliefweb.int. 2023-04-14. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  8. ^ "Centre du Mali : l'insécurité a poussé 1631 personnes à quitter Kani Bonzon, selon OCHA". Studio Tamani (in French). 2023-03-30. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  9. ^ "Kani-Bonzon: Soutien et compassion pour la population endeuillée". maliweb.net (in French). 2023-03-03. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  10. ^ "13 civilians killed in jihadist attack in Mali: local sources". France 24. 2023-02-24. Retrieved 2024-07-15.