A high-level delegation led by Mali’s Minister of State for Reconciliation, Peace, and National Cohesion, General Ismaël Wagué, arrived in Bandiagara on the evening of May 11, 2026. The mission followed a brutal terrorist assault on the villages of Kori-Kori and Gomossogou in the Bankass district, which occurred just five days prior.

The delegation conveyed the government’s official condolences during a solemn ceremony at the regional governor’s office. As part of the relief effort, authorities distributed essential food supplies—25 metric tons of millet and 25 metric tons of rice—along with a 20 million FCFA financial aid package to affected families.

During the visit, General Wagué attributed the attack to fighters from the Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimeen (JNIM) group. While the government has yet to release an official death toll, local self-defense militias, specifically the Dana Ambassagou dozos, reported over 60 fatalities, numerous injuries, and severe property damage.

The dozos’ leader, Youssouf Toloba, alleged that the villages were targeted after refusing to sign so-called “peace agreements” with armed extremist factions. Noël Tessougué, deputy chief of the dozos, warned that the militia would no longer tolerate communities that engage with JNIM combatants.

In his address, General Wagué reaffirmed the transitional government’s commitment to halting violence against civilians across Mali. He concluded by urging national unity, solidarity, and cohesion as essential tools to overcome the country’s ongoing security crisis.