As reported by France 24 on 25 June 2021, six Malian soldiers were killed when militants attacked an army outpost in the village of Boni in the center of the country. In a separate attack on the same day, 15 (mainly German) United Nations peacekeepers were wounded in a car-bomb attack further north. World Watch Research analyst Yonas Dembele comments: "Mali is struggling to contain the Islamist insurgency which has claimed thousands of military and civilian lives over recent years. Attacks on Malian forces and UN peacekeepers have intensified since the beginning of 2021 and the political instability in the same period has only compounded the challenges facing the country. The militant groups appear bent on weakening the capacities of the counterterrorism forces. Despite the presence of thousands of French and UN troops, the conflict has engulfed the central region of the country and spread. This latest attack came days after a powerful‚ car bomb targeted a French reconnaissance patrol‚ in the central Malian town of Gossi (France 24, 21 June 2021)." Yonas Dembele adds: "The current fragile security situation is a grave threat to the Christian community in the country, especially as they are often targeted in attacks by Islamic militants. The fear is great that similar violence will spread to other West African countries."