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A sudden surge of violence struck northeastern Mali, with an al Qaeda-affiliated group, Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimeen (JNIM), claiming responsibility for a series of deadly attacks.

The bloodshed began on Thursday, with two separate incidents involving a passenger boat and a military camp in the Gao region, known for its decade-long history of Islamist activities. This deadly onslaught resulted in the loss of over 60 people, including 49 civilians and 15 soldiers. The interim government of Mali attributed these atrocities to JNIM, a West African branch of al Qaeda.

Continuing their reign of terror, the extremist group launched another assault on Friday, executing a suicide bombing at a military base adjacent to the Gao International Airport.