Mali Islamists amputate man’s hand for “thievery”
UN chief called Wednesday for sanctions against extremists who have taken control of the north.
In the latest atrocity from war-torn Mali, Islamists have allegedly amputated a man's hand for "thievery" in Ansongo, a town located in the African country's north.
The amputation, which was carried out in public, is the latest manifestation of Islamists forces increasing strangle-hold over the people of Mali, after a spring coup swept hard-core religious practitioners into power.
The attack was allegedly carried out in accordance with Shariah law, according to a Mujao spokesman who talked with AFP reporters.
According to the New York Times, the Islamist group responsible for the attack – who identified themselves willingly on the phone -calls themselves Mujao, which translates into "Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa."
The public amputation isn't the first violent manifestation of religosity in 2012 Mali.
Islamist groups continue to dismantle the ancient mosque at Timbuktu, as the GlobalPost recently reported, claiming that it is not in alignment with their severe interpretation of Islam.
In another violent expression of so-called Shariah law, Islamists stoned a a couple to death for having premarital sex on July 30th, reported the GlobalPost.
The GlobalPost reported yesterday that UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon has called for sanctions on the extremist Muslims currently controlling Mali.
“Since the start of the crisis earlier this year, we have seen the situation take one alarming turn after another, reaching seemingly new depths with every passing week,” Ban told the AllAfrica news website.