At least 30 civilians reported killed in Mali truck attack

By BABA AHMED
Associated Press

BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — A local official in central Mali says gunmen attacked a truck carrying civilians in central Mali, killing at least 31 people. The mayor of Bandiagara, Housseini Saye, said the truck was carrying about 50 civilians when the identified gunmen attacked the vehicle Friday about 10 kilometers outside the town. He said on Saturday that the shooting caused the truck to catch fire and most of the victims burned to death. Several more people were injured. The attack has not been claimed, but it bears the mark of local armed groups linked to al-Qaida. The bloodshed could exacerbate tensions between communities in central Mali that already have led to extended violence in the region.