Armed insurgents kill at least 30 in central Mali

At least 30 people were killed in attacks on the villages of Korikori and Gomossogou in the Mopti region of central Mali, according to local and security sources. Other sources, including an aid worker and a diplomat, reported a death toll as high as 50. This is the deadliest attack since armed groups launched a coordinated wide-scale assault in late April.

The incident came just one day after fighters linked to al-Qaeda raided the central Kenieroba prison, which holds 2,500 inmates, including 72 considered 'high value'. The fresh attacks highlight the persistent threat despite the Malian army's claims of having the situation under control.

The surge in violence began on April 25-26, when the al-Qaeda-affiliated group Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) cooperated with the Tuareg-led rebel group Azawad Liberation Front (FLA). Those attacks killed Defense Minister Sadio Camara and drove Russian forces out of the strategic northern town of Kidal.

At a press conference on Wednesday, Malian general Djibrilla Maiga acknowledged that 'the threat remains', but said the army is hindering rebel operations. He also revealed that rebels targeted the home of military government leader Assimi Goita with a car bomb, but security forces neutralized it. Goita later appeared on state television on April 28, declaring the situation under control.

In the midst of drought, civilians are caught between a wave of violence and blockades. An Al Jazeera analyst said that conflict over water between Fulani villagers and Dogon militias, backed by the Malian army, is increasingly tense in the center of the country.

JNIM has announced it will blockade the capital Bamako by setting up checkpoints on main roads. Meanwhile, the Malian army says it has 'neutralized' several hundred 'terrorists' since the attacks of April 25.