American killed in Mali attack was Mass. native

(MyFoxBoston.com) -- Anita Datar, an American woman killed in the Mali attack, was a Massachusetts native.

Datar's brother, Sanjeev, released the following statement Friday night:

We are devastated that Anita is gone—it’s unbelievable to us that she has been killed in this senseless act of violence and terrorism. Anita was one of the kindest and most generous people we know. She loved her family and her work tremendously. Everything she did in her life she did to help others— as a mother, public health expert, daughter, sister and friend. And while we are angry and saddened that she has been killed, we know that she would want to promote education and healthcare to prevent violence and poverty at home and abroad, not intolerance.

Anita Ashok Datar was born in western Massachusetts and grew up in northern New Jersey. She earned an MPH and MPA from Columbia University’s Joseph Mailman School of Public Health and School of International and Public Affairs. She worked in Senegal for two years with the Peace Corps (1997-1999), and has spent much of her career working to advance global health and international development, with a focus on population and reproductive health, family planning, and HIV. She was a Senior Manager at Palladium Group and a founding member of Tulalens (www.tulalens.org), a not-for-profit organization connecting underserved communities with quality health services.

She is survived by her son, parents, brother, and many, many friends around the world.

At least 20 victims, including Datar, reportedly died in the hotel attack Mali carried out by heavily armed Islamic extremists, according to the Associate Press.

Senator Ed Markey released a statement on the Mali attacks as well on Friday evening, saying he was "deeply saddened" by the "vicious attack."

He went on to say, "Since 2013, the United States and the international community have stood by Mali as it fights al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb and associated militant groups in North Africa. I commend Mali's security forces for rapidly responding to today's attack and freeing the hostages, as well as the American, French, and other international security assistance partners who provide them with critical assistance. Our hearts and prayers go out to the victims and their families."