BAMAKO (Reuters) – A French airstrike in central Mali on Jan. 3 killed 19 civilians and three armed men, according to excerpts from a United Nations investigation due to be released later on Tuesday, contradicting French claims that only Islamist militants were hit.
Local residents said the airstrike near the village of Bounti hit a wedding party attended by civilians. The French military said it killed about 30 Islamist militants identified by aerial surveillance.
(Reporting by Paul Lorgerie; Writing by Aaron Ross; Editing by Bate Felix)
