Malians express fear and frustration after deadly jihadist attack in Bamako: Video
In the aftermath of a rare and deadly attack in the Malian capital, Bamako, residents are sharing their concerns and frustrations as the country faces escalating jihadist violence.
The attack, claimed by the Al-Qaeda-linked group Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimeen (JNIM), targeted a military police barracks and a military airport, shaking a city usually spared from major attacks.
Rokia Sanogo, a banana seller, expressed the deep worry felt by many in Bamako: “We’re really worried. We miss the peace and quiet. We just don’t have a choice, because we have to go out and get the day’s meal,” she told AFP.
A restaurant owner, Soumaila Tembely pointed fingers at the authorities saying, “There is a degree of negligence on the part of the authorities. The state of the country forces them to be constantly on their guard. And it has to be said that this is nothing new. The situation has been going on for a long time.”
For Seydou Keïta, a driver, the problem lies in the lack of proper security checks in specific areas. He told the AFP, “The Garbal market in Faladie is a problem. I think they use the big buses to get to the Garbal, and then sneak through the population. Let’s do a test and search the Garbal, we’ll find some suspects.”
While the focus has primarily been on northern Mali, this recent assault shows that even the capital is not immune to the violence plaguing the country.
