BAMAKO, July 3, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - An attack blamed on jihadists in central Mali killed more than 20 civilians on Monday, two officials from the provincial authority said, in the latest killings in the troubled Sahel region.

"At least 21 civilians have been killed" in the village of Djiguibombo, several dozen kilometres (miles) from the town of Bandiagara, one of the officials said on Wednesday, speaking on condition of anonymity. 
Another official, who spoke overnight, said about 20 people had been killed and the security situation prevented authorities from going to the site. 

Both sources asked not to be identified given their positions. Since the junta came to power in the West African nation in 2020, information about such events is not generally made public. 

The attack began before nightfall and "lasted around three hours", a youth representative, also speaking anonymously for security reasons, said. 

"Twenty people have been killed. More than half are young people. Some victims had their throats cut," the source said. 

Mali has since 2012 been ravaged by different factions affiliated to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group, as well as by self-declared, self-defence forces and bandits.

The violence spilled over into neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger, with all three countries seeing military regimes seize power.