FRANCE REFUTES REPORTS OF AIRSTRIKE ON MALI WEDDING

07/01/2021

Görkem ŞEKEROĞLU -TDO- Reports from Mali say more than 20 people, including children, were killed when an airstrike targeted a wedding party in the remote village of Bounti in the weekend.

Residents of Bounti situated in the central Mopti region, said a low-flying unidentified helicopter, opened fire on the ceremony in broad daylight.

The French military, which has troops in the region, said a strike was carried out on jihadist militants in central Mali, but that no wedding ceremony was involved.  A spokesman for the French military, told news agencies that "reports relating to a wedding do not correspond with the observations that were made".

Five French soldiers have been killed in attacks in Mali in recent days.