BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — A local government official says that Malian airstrikes aimed at uprooting rebels in the country’s north, hit a camp of Tuareg nomads, killing one woman and wounding seven others.
Alghabass Ag Intalla, the deputy from the northern Malian town of Kidal, said the attack occurred in the village of Kel Essouk around 12 miles (20 kilometers) east of Kidal on Wednesday afternoon.
Ag Intalla said that the Malian army was attacking the village because it is believed to be a base for Tuareg rebels who launched a new rebellion in January. He said the village had been set on fire, and even the animals were not able to get away. He said the strike, however, also destroyed an adjacent Tuareg camp used by civilians.
The Tuareg rebels have taken offensive positions around Kidal, a regional capital, prompting the government to attack.
