'Mali rebel fighters' kill 17 Tuareg civilians

Suspected rebels have killed at least 17 civilians belonging to the Tuareg ethnic community in northern Mali, just days after 40 Tuaregs were killed during a similar raid on nearby villages.

The attacks occurred early this week near the border with Niger. 

Violence has escalated in recent months as armed groups, once confined to the remote north of the country exploited ethnic tensions to recruit Fulani herders and extend their presence further south. 

SOURCE: ALJAZEERA
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