(Gao) A suicide VIED attack on a military camp in the east of Mali has resulted in the deaths of over 50 people. The attack claimed by Al Qaeda was made on the joint operational mechanism base in the city of Gao,which is home to Malian soldiers and former fighters who had signed a peace agreement with the government. The vehicle breached
the camp at about 9am as hundreds of fighters were gathering for a meeting. The
bomber “succeeded in tricking soldiers’ vigilance” and penetrated the camp,
Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) has stated that the suicide bombing was meant to punish rebel groups co-operating with France. Mali's President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita has declared three days of national mourning in a tweet following the latest attack.
