Page 10 - ARUBA TODAY

A10 WORLD NEWS
Friday 20 July 2018

Growing extremism threatens Mali's July 29 elections

By CARLEY PETESCH Malian authorities must in-
BABA AHMED vestigate what he called
BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — As an alarming increase in
deadly attacks by extrem- rights violations by militias
ists become more brazen "often with the participa-
in Mali, officials and citizens tion of armed groups, re-
fear this month's presiden- sulting in deaths, injuries,
tial election will be at risk destruction or burning of
from growing insecurity. property and people be-
A branch of al-Qaida even ing forced to leave their
set off a car bomb at the homes."
headquarters of a new He expressed grave con-
West African counterterror cern over the "continuing
force late last month, fur- deterioration" in central
ther destabilizing central Mali and in the region of
Mali as extremist groups ex- Menaka, near Niger, which
pand from remote northern has become a hiding
regions where they have place for extremists linked
had strongholds for years. to the Islamic State group
A more assertive response who clash with local self-
by Mali's security forces defense forces. More than
has led to accusations of 120 people were killed
extrajudicial killings, while there between April 26 and
neighbors turn on each In this photo taken on Monday, July 16, 2018, young supporter of Soumaila Cisse, holds a banner May 18, Tine said.
other amid suspicions of during an election campaign rally in Yanfolila, Mali. Extremists take advantage
joining extremist groups. At Associated Press of the absence of state
least 289 civilians includ- power, pitting communi-
ing young children have risen over the past year, military intervention had unwilling to provide secu- ties against one another,
been killed in communal while tensions grow be- pushed al-Qaida-linked rity." Tine said. Civilians unhappy
violence since the begin- tween ethnic Fulani Mus- fighters from their strong- The government has con- with Mali's instability may
ning of the year, with some lims and other groups such holds in the north and se- firmed security forces' par- start sympathizing with the
burned alive in their homes as the Dogon and Bamba- curity appeared to be im- ticipation in the extrajudi- extremists or other armed
or killed while hiding in ra who accuse the Fulani of proving. But while the in- cial killings last month of 25 groups, human rights
mosques, the United Na- being recruited by jihadists. ternational community has Fulani men in the central groups have warned.
tions said this month. "The Malian army attacks invested millions of dollars Mopti region, and the U.N. In one example in Janu-
As the July 29 elections ap- the civilians thinking that in Mali's government, the has urged authorities to ary, extremists attacked
proach, insecurity is a ma- they are complicit with the situation has deteriorated. prevent similar attacks. an army base in the vil-
jor issue for candidates in- jihadists, and the jihadists French soldiers on patrol "These major crimes threat- lage of Soumpi on the
cluding President Ibrahim attack the civilians thinking in the northeastern city of en communal cohesion in road between Mauritania
Boubacar Keïta, who seeks that they are complicit with Gao were targeted just Mali and facilitate jihadist and Timbuktu. Residents
a second term. Experts the army. It's a chaotic situ- two days after the deadly groups' recruitment efforts. did not condemn the at-
warn of a humanitarian cri- ation," the 32-year-old dep- attack on the G5 Sahel They also undermine the tack, saying they were of-
sis as hundreds of schools uty mayor said. "People are headquarters. role the international com- ten stopped by the military
have closed out of fear of afraid of kamikazes, con- With the absence or weak- munity plays in Mali, includ- along the road and forced
attack. flicts in the polling station or ness of state security in ing its training programs for to pay bribes.
"It would be difficult to or- even a post-election crisis." some areas, "some com- the security forces," Lebo- Extremists have expanded
ganize the elections in my The situation is worse than munities have had to make vich wrote in a recent re- their messaging to address
commune in Mondoro, during the previous elec- a choice to work with ex- port. "Continuing failure to the upcoming vote. When
near the border between tions in 2013, Andrew Lebo- tremists or militias," Lebov- deal with these issues will the government in Febru-
Mali and Burkina Faso," one vich, Mali expert and visit- ich said, adding that Ma- only make peace harder ary announced the elec-
local official, Deputy Mayor ing fellow with the Euro- lian forces have made it to achieve." tion dates, al-Qaida's Mali
Moulaye Ongoiba, told The pean Council on Foreign worse by "targeting (Fulani) In a separate report this branch issued warnings on
Associated Press. Extremist Relations, told the AP. in central Mali and by mak- month, U.N. independent social media against going
attacks in the region have Five years ago a French ing it clear the state was expert Alioune Tine said to the polls.q