The government of Mali has declared an emergency rule following the untamed threats from terrorist groups.
Mali’s government on Monday declared a 10-day state of emergency from midnight after what security sources said followed several threats from unnamed jihadist groups.
“The state of emergency aims to give the relevant authorities the means to allow them to better identify and counter any project threatening people’s safety,” the government said in a statement, without giving details.
Two security sources said threats issued by jihadist groups had prompted the announcement. One of them said this followed a meeting of Islamist militant leaders in the northern Kidal region last week.
According to Reuters, an Islamist insurgency simmering in the West African country since French forces drove the militants out of key northern towns two years ago has intensified in recent months.
It will be recalled that unknown
jihadists attacked a luxury hotel in November, killing 20 people including many foreigners, in the latest strike on the country’s once stable southern capital Bamako.