Conflicts' toll on civilians worries UN

Armed attacks continue to claim the lives of civilians across Africa despite efforts by the African Union and the rest of the world to reduce conflicts across the continent.

On Friday, Islamist militants killed eight soldiers in Mali and injured 14 others. The Malian Armed Forces said that five soldiers were missing following the attack.

Souleymane Dembele, the head of the Directorate of Information and Public Relations of the Malian Armed Forces, said the army managed to kill 57 of the armed terrorists who were on motorcycles.

The attacks came five days after a terrorist group attacked the post of Niafunke in the northern part of the country, where they killed two soldiers.

The West African country has been struggling to contain armed militants linked to the al-Qaida and Islamic State groups, which have also spread to neighboring Niger and Burkina Faso.

On Thursday, French President Emmanuel Macron announced plans to withdraw French troops from Mali following a breakdown in relations with the ruling military junta. In response, the Malian army asked France to immediately begin the withdrawal.

The relationship between the two countries deteriorated after the army took power in a coup in 2020, a development that led to the African Union suspending the country from participation in all its activities.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is also suffering a rise in violence, with deadly attacks by militia groups on displaced people in the country's east.

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, militia groups conducted eight major attacks in Ituri Province in the first 10 days of February.

The UN agency said it was alarmed by the attacks, which were included killings, kidnappings, looting of livestock and food, as well as torching of homes.

On Feb 15, militia fighters massacred 17 people, among them eight children, with machetes in Lando, Djugu territory. A mother and her two children were burned alive as assailants set shelters ablaze, the agency said.

The attacks followed another lethal raid, at the Plaine Savo site for displaced people in the same area on Feb 1. About 62 people were killed and 47 others injured.

In the past week, the UN refugee agency said thousands of inhabitants of Beni fled their homes following continued brutality.

The agency called on all parties involved to immediately halt the violence against civilians.