At least several dozen people were killed in a new attack by armed jihadists in central Mali, according to local and security sources on Saturday. The assault, which occurred on Friday, was claimed by the al-Qaeda-linked group Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM). Earlier in the week, the same group had attacked several villages, killing at least 30 people, AFP reported from Bamako.

Local officials said the recent wave of violence has left more than 70 people dead, with some estimates reaching around 80. A youth leader accused the nearby army unit of failing to respond to repeated calls for help, describing the community’s grief as overwhelming. A security source described the situation in the region as extremely alarming, noting that JNIM has been targeting villages that refused to sign local peace agreements.

The latest violence follows unprecedented attacks last month by JNIM and the Tuareg-controlled Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) against Mali’s ruling junta, pushing the country’s security situation into deeper crisis and leaving parts of the north under militant control.