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Drone strikes carried out by the Malian Armed Forces have killed at least 10 civilians in central Mali as they prepared for a traditional mass wedding, according to security and local sources.
Residents said the attack occurred in the San region, where villagers were gathering for a cultural wedding ceremony that is traditionally held as a communal celebration.
A local resident told AFP that “10 of our children” were killed, describing the incident as a moment of joy that turned into “immense sorrow.”
A security source said the strike targeted a procession of motorbikes moving through the area, suggesting the movement may have drawn drone surveillance.
A local official also confirmed that around 10 people were killed during the incident, adding that preparations for the wedding were underway when the strike occurred.
The military has not issued a detailed public statement on the incident.
The strikes follow worsening insecurity in Mali, where the government is battling insurgent groups including the al-Qaeda-linked Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin and Tuareg separatist forces under the Azawad Liberation Front.
The country has faced escalating violence since coordinated attacks in April that targeted strategic towns and resulted in the killing of senior officials, further destabilising the junta-led government in Bamako.
Authorities continue to struggle to contain armed groups that have operated across the Sahel region since 2012.
