Mali government steps down after carnage

DAKAR, Senegal

Mali's prime minister and his government has stepped down four weeks after militants stormed a village in central Mali and killed more than 150 people.

Prime Minister Soumeylou Boubeye Maiga submitted his resignation to the President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita on Thursday.

“The president accepts the resignation of the prime minister and that of the members of government,” a statement from Boubacar Keita’s office said.

It was noted that a new prime minister will be appointed and a new government will be established “very soon” following consultations with the government and opposition, the statement added.

On March 23, militants had stormed the village of Egossagou, leaving at least 161 people dead and many houses burnt.

Tensions erupted in Mali in 2012 following a failed coup and a Touareg rebellion that ultimately allowed al-Qaeda-linked militant groups to take control of the northern half of the country.

In 2015, a peace deal was signed between the government and some insurgent groups.

Political and community disputes continue to fuel tensions in northern Mali, thus undermining implementation of the peace agreement.

Writing by Zehra Nur Duz