With our correspondent in Bamako, Serge Daniel

It is not an act of banditry that killed three members of the security forces, but a terrorist act, explains a source close to the matter. Several factors support this thesis.

It was a security post of the gendarmerie and another of customs that were targeted. The assailants left with some weapons and motorcycles. They did not touch other belongings that were within their reach.

Furthermore, the initial elements of the investigation reveal that on the day of the attack last week, the commando that arrived on the scene was composed of 14 people. At the front, some wore black armbands with Arabic writing. Others chanted: "Allah Akbar" (God is great).

Concern

Generally, attacks attributed to jihadists on Malian territory take place in the center and the North, but never on the Bamako-Kita axis that leads to the Kayes region, in the far West. And this is what is causing concern.

Gold is now the lifeblood of the national economy, so it is necessary to get ahead of the situation. Malian authorities have therefore decided to strengthen security measures in the zone.