offensive in the country last month. At least 30 people were killed when jihadists raided the villages of Korikori and Gomossogou in Mopti region, according to sources quoted by the AFP news agency. Other diplomatic and aid sources separately told the Reuters news agency the death toll from Wednesday's simultaneous attacks had reached at least 50. The al Qaeda-linked group JNIM said it was responsible.  The Malian army said it had conducted a "targeted operation" in the area, where about a dozen jihadist fighters were "neutralised". Since 2012, Mali has been plagued by insurgencies and large parts of the north and east of the country remain outside government control. Last month saw nationwide, coordinated attacks by an alliance of jihadists and separatist rebels in the north - the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) - seeking to overthrow the military regime of Gen Assimi Goïta, who seized power in a coup in 2020. During the attacks, Defence Minister Sadio Camara was killed in an apparent suicide truck bombing on his residence near the capital, Bamako. (BBC)