Three Cops Killed in Mali Terrorist Attack

Local Editor

Police and military sources reported Wednesday that three policemen were killed by suspected extremists in an overnight attack in central Mali.

Shortly before news of the attack, in a televised speech to mark the 55th anniversary of the Malian army, President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita paid tribute to "some of our valiant soldiers, some of the worthy sons of our country who paid their lives in this patriotic commitment," insisting that "their sacrifice is not in vain."

Relatively, the policemen were shot dead in an overnight attack near the town of Mopti while on duty, according to military sources.

Confirming the attack, a local police official said the victims were ambushed about 60 kilometers from Mopti, once a popular tourist destination.

"They went into an area that is difficult to access," said the police source. "The terrorists set an ambush and they were caught in the ambush."

Earlier on Friday, two soldiers and a guard were killed in separate attacks in northern and central Mali.

Northern Mali fell under the control of extremist terrorist groups linked to al-Qaeda in 2012.

However, the militants were largely ousted by a French-led military operation launched in January 2013 although large swathes of Mali remain lawless and prone to attacks.

In November last year, 20 people, 14 of them foreigners, were killed in an attack claimed by terrorist groups on the Radisson Blu hotel in the capital Bamako.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team