Six young people get 100 lashes in Mali for mingling

The Islamist extremists who took over northern Mali months ago are making progress in their enthronement of Sharia law in the region even as ECOWAS and allied forces are gearing up to re-unite the country.

The extremists publicly whipped six young people, males and females aged 16 to 22 years, who each received 100 lashes for having talked with each other on the streets

Timbuktu residents say that Islamist extremists controlling the region publicly whipped six young people, males and females aged between 16 to 22 years, who each received 100 lashes for having talked with each other on the city streets, according to the Associated Press.
Aboubacrine Yattara, who lives in Timbuktu and witnessed the whippings, told AP over the phone that the young people were arrested last week by the Islamists were convicted Wednesday of comingling. He said they were flogged Thursday in Timbuktu's small market.
The head of the Islamist brigade responsible for customs in Timbuktu, Mohamed Ag Mossa Intoulou, did not deny the whippings when contacted by AP but said he did not have authorization to speak to the press.