Karou and Ouatagouna massacres
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Islamic State in the Greater Sahara| Karou and Ouatagouna massacres | |
|---|---|
| Part of Mali War | |
| Location | Karou, Ouattagouna, Daoutegeft, and Dirga, Mali |
| Date | August 8, 2021 |
| Deaths | 51+[1] |
| Perpetrator | Islamic State in the Greater Sahara |
On August 8, 2021, jihadist militants from Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) launched simultaneous attacks on four villages in central Mali, killing over fifty-one civilians.
Around 6pm local time, over 80 ISGS militants stormed the four towns of Karou, Ouattagouna, Daouetegeft, and Dirga, all within a short distance of each other.[2][3] The militants fired guns while riding on motorbikes, "as most victims were in front of their houses; others going to the mosque" according to local official Oumar Cisse.[4] According to eyewitnesses, ISGS went from house to house, rounding up all of the men and children, only sparing some women.[3] Military officials stated that ISGS fighters massacred everyone, burning down homes and stealing cattle.[5][2] Many of the dead were women and children.[6]
Malian military officials stated the attack was prompted because locals in the town had shared the locations of ISGS to the Malian military following recent humanitarian aid deliveries.[6]