At least 21 people, including 11 children, have been killed in drone attacks in the town of Tinzaouaten in northern Mali.

A spokesperson for the coalition of Tuareg-majority groups fighting for independence in northern Mali said on Monday that the drones hit a pharmacy and a group of people, leaving dozens wounded.

Mali’s army confirmed the drone attacks on national television, saying the “precision strikes targeted terrorists”.

Tinzaouaten has witnessed air attacks before and as recently as July when the Tuareg-led groups claimed to have killed a large number of Malian soldiers and Russian Wagner Group mercenaries.

The separatists said they killed at least 47 soldiers and 84 Wagner mercenaries in the July attacks, but the army did not confirm that death toll.

After the attack, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov reiterated Moscow’s “firm support” for Mali and its army.

The army has claimed that the Wagner fighters are in the country only as “instructors” helping the army train.

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