At least 10 civilians were killed in Malian army drone strikes while they were preparing for a mass wedding in the Tene area near San on Sunday, locals said.

“Ten of our children” were killed during the strikes, a resident of Tene anonymously told the AFP news agency. “What was supposed to be a moment of joy in the village turned into immense sorrow.”

The strikes came amid an escalation in conflict in the West African country, following attacks on military bases on April 25 by Al-Qaeda-linked JNIM militants and the separatist Azawad Liberation Front (FLA). 

A security source told the news agency that the drones targeted “a procession of motorbikes following one another,” adding that this “certainly” drew the attention of the military. 

“The tragedy occurred as the villagers were preparing the second edition of this traditional collective wedding, a major cultural event for this community,” the source, who requested anonymity, said.

“A wedding was about to take place when the drones killed at least 10 civilians. It is truly a time of mourning,” a local official also told the AFP.

In a separate statement, the Malian military said aircraft detected terrorists’ regrouping points about 55km south of Aguelhok during offensive missions on Sunday.

It said several terrorists were “neutralised” and their logistics “completely destroyed,” adding that operations were continuing in the area.

“The aircraft were immediately engaged to target these locations. A series of precision strikes neutralised several terrorists and completely destroyed their logistics,” the statement on Sunday said.

The military added that the chief of the general staff commended personnel for their “determination and unwavering commitment to national defence.”

It did not comment on whether or not civilians were killed during the operations.

The country’s main airport was shut down after armed groups launched several attacks on strategic areas in April. 

Mali’s defence minister, Sadio Camara, along with one of his wives and two grandchildren, was killed in a car bomb attack on his residence in Kati.

At least 30 people were also killed by al-Qaeda-affiliated fighters in central Mali on May 7, as the villages of Korikori and Gomossogou were targeted.

Mali has been rocked by unrest since 2012, with Islamist extremists and Tuareg rebels fighting in the northern part of the country.