French official denies army involvement in Mali fete

In what came as a rebuttal to genocide accusations, France has denied any wrongdoing. The defense department has insisted its attack on Bounti village was to kill jihadists.

The strike was to kill insurgents—Defense Minister

France’s defense minister has rejected claims that fighter planes of the French air force bombed civilians at a wedding gathering in Mali last week. He claims that the airforce only struck jihadist and that she verified the fact of this matter.

News circulated that French jets killed about 22 civilians during a social event in Mali. The reports claimed that in Bounti village, the wedding avenue was destroyed with many losing their lives. That was why Minister Florence Parly, has to come out to clarify that the January 4 incident was meant to kill several terrorists.

“ This news reporting is false as no child or woman was killed in any marriage,” she said in a televised broadcast.

Last week, witnesses claimed that about 22 civilians died when the village of Bounti was struck. Harmodoun Dicko, who is a chieftain of a large ethnic peuhi organization in Mali, told reporters that that people said they saw two fighter jets strike the village on January 3. “ I can tell you authoritative that lost two close friends in the strike, how can they deny it?

The French military said the strike wasn’t related to genocide

The French military officials vehemently deny any link with the strike and at the deaths at the party. The operation was part of a decision taken by the French military who aim to dismantle Islamic elements in Mali.

The defense minister said about 5 French Military was killed in attacks orchestrated by insurgents using explosives. Also, about 7 others are injured in the attack.

This attack brings the death of French troops to about 52 since 2013 when armed insurgents took control of some close towns to Bamako.