A separatist group in Mali has alleged that an airstrike on a market in the country’s northern Timbuktu region resulted in the deaths of at least 18 civilians, with seven others injured. Mali’s army, however, stated that the operation targeted a militant refuge and claimed to have killed 11 “terrorists” in the attack, which took place Sunday, approximately 50 kilometers (30 miles) north of Lerneb.

The Collective for the Defense of the Rights of the Azawad People, part of a coalition of Tuareg separatists, condemned the incident, describing it as a “barbaric act from another age.” The strike adds to the already volatile situation in the region, where insurgencies fueled by armed groups—including factions linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State—have persisted for over a decade.

Mali, alongside Burkina Faso and Niger, has faced mounting violence despite recent shifts in security strategies. Following military coups in all three nations, their ruling juntas expelled French forces, opting instead for assistance from Russian mercenary units, notably the Wagner group. However, interim President Assimi Goita, who came to power in 2021, has struggled to contain the escalating conflict, and the Malian army has faced repeated accusations of targeting civilians.

Last month, the Front for the Liberation of Azawad, representing Tuareg separatists, accused both the Malian military and Wagner forces of executing 24 civilians in northern Mali, further intensifying tensions.

The discrepancies between reports from the military and separatist groups may stem from military operations in civilian-populated areas, suggested Rida Lyammouri, a senior fellow at the Policy Center for the New South. He noted that jihadi fighters are known to frequent markets to obtain supplies, making such locations potential targets for the army. Lyammouri added that both sides might be misrepresenting the identities of the deceased to support their respective narratives: the military framing the operation as counterterrorism, while separatists highlight human rights abuses to justify their calls for autonomy.

As Mali navigates this complex landscape, the latest airstrike underscores the fragile and contentious nature of the conflict, raising further questions about civilian safety and the prospects for peace in the region.

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