By James Tasamba
KIGALI, Rwanda (AA) - At least 49 civilians and 15 soldiers were killed in two separate terrorist attacks in Mali on Thursday, authorities said.
The first attack targeted a passenger boat along the Niger River at around 11:00 a.m. local time (1100GMT), while the second attack targeted an army position, a government statement said.
“This Thursday the boat "Timbuktu" and the position of the Malian Armed Forces (FAMA) of Bamba, in the Gao Region, were the subject of attacks claimed by terrorists,” the statement said.
The attack was claimed by the so-called Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (GSIM), which is affiliated with the al-Qaeda and Daesh/ISIS terrorist groups.
The statement said that 50 attackers were also “neutralized” in clashes with the army.
Mali’s Transitional President Col. Assimi Goita extended condolences to the families of the deceased and wished a speedy recovery to the injured.
Since 2012, Mali has been battling violence perpetrated by militant and terrorist groups in northern and central regions, targeting soldiers and civilians.