Bandits kill soldier in the north

Bandits in northern Mali killed one soldier and captured four others on Sunday as they escorted health workers in a door-to-door vaccination campaign in Tin-Sako, a locality in Kidal region, Lt-Col Abdoulaye Coulibaly told IRIN. “This is regrettable because the armed forces are taking part in the humanitarian mission across the country,” Coulibaly said on Tuesday. Coulibaly, who is head of military information, said two other soldiers were missing. The army, he added, was in hot pursuit of the raiders whose strength was unknown. The attack came two weeks after an army sweep across the region to clear Mali’s northern territories of marauders who often attack locals and aid workers, and seize their vehicles. [See separate item titled ‘MALI: More banditry reported in the north’]