Couple stoned to death in northern Mali, accused of affair
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A local official says a couple has been stoned to death in northern Mali after extremists accused them of conducting an extramarital affair.
The official says Tuesday's killing of a Tuareg couple in Taghlite was ordered by the former mayor of Aguel'hoc, who is now a jihadist. The official spoke on condition of anonymity for security reasons, saying the stoning was carried out by Ansar Dine extremists.
The group is mostly composed of ultraconservative Tuareg tribesmen.
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Kidal National Assembly deputy Aicha Belco Maiga on Thursday confirmed the killing but had no details.
Al-Qaida-linked extremists took over Mali's north in 2012 and pursued a strict interpretation of Shariah law before being pushed from strongholds in 2013. They still pose a threat.
Another couple was stoned to death in Aguel'hoc in 2012.