A local official in Mali, in a statement to Agence France-Presse, said that “jihadists deliberately killed civilians in Okana, near Bankas in central Mali, and then booby-trapped their bodies,” noting that “when the families of the two dead men and their relatives came for the bodies, the incident happened. At least 10 other people died as a result of the explosion.

In turn, a police source confirmed to the agency: “Initially, ten civilians died,” noting that “the deployment of security forces is planned to protect the safety of the population.” He stressed that “Jihadists are using more and more criminal methods. They booby-trapped two bodies in Oakan, which exploded on impact.”

Dozens of Okan residents fled their homes to seek refuge in the surrounding villages, fearing more attacks.

Notably, Mali, a poor and landlocked country in the heart of the Sahel region, witnessed two military coups in August 2020 and May 2021. The political crisis is accompanied by another dangerous security situation that has been ongoing since 2012 separatist and jihadist uprising in the north. This violence has resulted in the deaths of thousands of civilians and soldiers, as well as the displacement of thousands of people.