oluwatosin oyeniyi BAMAKO, Mali — Malian government forces and their Russian paramilitary allies have killed and wounded civilians in operations that allegedly violate international humanitarian law, while Islamist militants and separatist fighters have also committed serious abuses, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on Monday, October 19.
In a new report, the international rights organisation urged the African Union’s Peace and Security Council to take urgent action to prevent further atrocities, investigate abuses by all sides and press those responsible to face accountability. HRW said the continuing violations were occurring amid renewed fighting in central and northern Mali and a lack of effective action from international bodies and governments.
The report places civilian protection at the centre of a conflict that has lasted more than a decade and intensified in recent months. It documents alleged unlawful attacks, killings in custody and abuses against captured soldiers, underscoring the risks faced by civilians and combatants alike.
Drone strikes and civilian deaths
HRW said it documented two apparently indiscriminate drone attacks by Malian forces. One, on July 29, struck a health facility in Talahandak village in the northern Kidal region, damaging the building. Another, on August 19, hit a market in Bandiagara in central Mali, killing six civilians and injuring at least 20, according to the report.
The watchdog also documented an operation in the Ségou region in which Malian soldiers shot and killed five girls. In a separate incident in the Mopti region, members of the Dozo militia allied with the military allegedly killed three civilians.
HRW said these incidents raised concerns about whether forces had taken the necessary precautions to distinguish civilians from combatants. International humanitarian law prohibits deliberate attacks on civilians and indiscriminate or disproportionate attacks, including those that damage civilian infrastructure without sufficient military justification.
The report drew on remote interviews conducted between July 30 and September 20 with 30 people, including witnesses, human rights defenders, community leaders, journalists and a Malian soldier. Researchers also verified and geolocated videos and analysed photographs related to reported incidents. HRW said it sent questions and its findings to Mali’s defence minister in August but received no response.
Africa Corps under scrutiny
The report also focuses on the role of Russia-controlled Africa Corps, which took over the role previously played by the Wagner Group in supporting Mali’s military authorities.
Following coups in 2020 and 2021, Mali’s military-led government turned increasingly to Russia for security assistance as relations with traditional Western partners deteriorated. Africa Corps personnel have since supported Malian forces in operations against jihadist and separatist groups.
HRW alleges that Malian troops and their Russian allies have killed and wounded civilians during military operations and in custody. The organisation has documented similar allegations in previous reports, including killings and other abuses during counterinsurgency operations.
The findings also raise concerns about the treatment of communities suspected of cooperating with insurgents. When civilians are targeted on the basis of unverified accusations, military operations risk punishing entire communities rather than identifying individuals responsible for armed violence.
The Malian authorities have not publicly responded to the specific findings in the latest report, according to HRW. The allegations therefore require independent investigation, including examination of the circumstances surrounding each reported incident and the responsibility of those involved.
Insurgent groups accused of serious violations
HRW stressed that abuses have also been committed by Islamist and separatist armed groups fighting the military.
The report describes an attack on a military convoy near Tabrichat in the Gao region on July 18, involving fighters from Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), an al-Qaeda-linked group, and the separatist Azawad Liberation Front (FLA). HRW said fighters from the groups tortured and executed at least 19 Malian soldiers who had been captured.
JNIM acknowledged that captured soldiers were killed but, according to HRW, denied ordering the executions. The FLA acknowledged fighting Malian and Russian forces in the area but denied responsibility for executing the prisoners.
These allegations illustrate that civilian protection and compliance with the laws of war remain challenges across the conflict. International humanitarian law requires all parties, whether state forces or non-state armed groups, to treat people in custody humanely and prohibits murder, torture and cruel treatment.
A worsening security crisis
Mali has faced an armed conflict since 2012, when separatist rebellion in the north was followed by the expansion of jihadist violence. Over time, the conflict has involved government forces, Russian personnel, Islamist armed groups, separatist movements and allied local militias.
The latest HRW report draws on data from the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data project (ACLED). According to the figures cited by HRW, Malian forces and Africa Corps carried out 49 airstrikes between April and August 2026, killing 89 civilians. During the same period in 2025, 22 strikes killed 44 civilians. ACLED also recorded 268 civilians killed by Malian armed forces and 134 killed by JNIM over the April–August 2026 period.
The figures indicate a serious civilian-protection problem, although the parties’ reported actions and the circumstances of individual incidents differ. The data should not be interpreted as establishing that every strike or military operation was unlawful; those determinations require assessment of the evidence and applicable legal standards.
HRW calls for African Union action
HRW wants the African Union’s Peace and Security Council to hold a dedicated session on civilian protection and accountability in Mali, condemn abuses by all parties and seek regular reporting on measures taken to prevent further harm.
It has also called for independent investigations into alleged violations by Malian forces, their allies and opposition armed groups, with support from African Union human rights experts where necessary. The organisation argues that credible investigations and prosecutions could help address a pattern of impunity that risks allowing further abuses.
For Mali, the challenge is not only to confront armed groups but also to ensure that security operations comply with international law. Attacks on civilians, torture and unlawful killings can deepen mistrust between communities and authorities, while weakening the legitimacy of efforts to restore security.
The African Union and other international actors now face renewed calls to translate commitments to civilian protection into practical action. Whether the latest findings lead to independent investigations, public reporting and accountability measures will be an important test of the response to Mali’s prolonged conflict.
