Fatal bus-truck collision in Mali, 15 dead

International Desk: At least 15 people were killed in a collision between a bus and a truck in the central region of Mali, West Africa. The accident happened on Monday (February 19) local time.

The country's Ministry of Transport has confirmed this information. A bus collided with a truck coming from the opposite direction on a road between Kesedugu and Ouan town. The transport ministry said the bus was traveling from the central city of Mopti to the capital Bamako.

According to a statement, 15 people lost their lives and 46 others were injured in the accident. Several of the injured are said to be in critical condition. The statement further said that civil defense personnel took the victims to Somino Dolo Hospital in Mopti. Road accidents have become quite common in Mali.

Accidents happen there often due to the poor condition of the roads and the faults of the vehicles and the negligence of the people. Earlier, a gold mine tunnel collapsed in Mali late last month, killing more than 70 workers.

Mali is one of the top gold producing countries in Africa. Yet it is one of the poorest countries in the world. Mali's mines are prone to severe landslides. The country's authorities had to gain momentum to gain control of these precious metal-rich mines.