HRW alleges Mali military and armed groups committed abuses against civilians
Human Rights Watch has accused Mali's military, its Russia-controlled Africa Corps allies, and opposition armed groups of committing grave abuses against civilians during the country's long-running conflict. In a report released on Monday, the rights group said soldiers and fighters had carried out violations of the laws of war while international organisations and governments largely stood by. The allegations cover attacks and abuses in several parts of Mali, including the north, centre and south.
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The report says the findings are based on interviews with 30 people, including witnesses, human rights defenders, community leaders, journalists and a Malian soldier, conducted from late July to mid-September. HRW said Mali's military and the allied Africa Corps had killed and wounded scores of civilians in attacks and in custody. It also said armed groups had tortured and executed captured Malian soldiers, adding that both sides had violated international humanitarian law.
Among the incidents cited, HRW said a July 29 drone strike in the Kidal region destroyed part of a health facility. It also said a second drone attack on August 19 hit a market in the central Bandiagara region, killing six civilians and wounding at least 20 others. The group further documented an operation in the Segou region in which Malian soldiers shot and killed five girls, and another in Mopti where members of the military-allied Dozo militia killed three civilians.
The report comes against the backdrop of a conflict that has gripped Mali since 2012, when fighting and attacks escalated across the country. The military government, in power since coups in 2020 and 2021, has relied increasingly on Russian support, first through the Wagner Group and later through Africa Corps, which HRW described as Russia-controlled. The group said the pattern of abuses shows that civilians remain exposed to violence from multiple armed actors despite years of military operations and shifting alliances.
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HRW urged the African Union's Peace and Security Council to take urgent action to prevent further atrocities. It also said the attacks and killings were carried out with impunity, underscoring the weakness of accountability mechanisms in the conflict. The report adds to longstanding concerns about the conduct of state forces, allied militias and insurgent groups in Mali's war zones.
What remains unclear is whether the allegations will lead to any immediate investigation or response from Mali's authorities or regional bodies. The report does not indicate any official reaction from the military government in the material provided. The next developments to watch are whether the African Union acts on the appeal and whether further evidence emerges about the drone strikes, custody deaths and militia abuses described in the report.
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