Militia attack in Mali leaves 36 dead

BAMAKO, June 25 (AP): The community militia has killed 32 civilians in an attack on a village in central Mali.

Mali's government earlier in the day confirmed the first attack and said 16 people were killed, as the Fulani ethnic group faces growing pressure over accusations of links to al-Qaida extremists.

The death tolls differed because many bodies had been buried by the time Malian soldiers responded, Abdoul Aziz Diallo with the Tabital Pulaku association told the news agency.

The original attack occurred Saturday when militia members killed herders outside Koumaga before entering and "starting to fire on the villagers," Diallo said.

As soon as Malian soldiers left the village Sunday afternoon militia members returned, killing a man and his three sons, Diallo said.

Koumaga village has the reputation of being the birthplace of a number of al-Qaida-linked extremists. Such fighters have been attacking security forces and a UN peacekeeping mission in Mali regularly since 2015.

The growing insecurity is a key concern ahead of the July 29 election in which President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita is running again.