“I am shocked by the credible allegations that Malian forces, accompanied by foreign military personnel, executed at least 25 people on January 26 in the village of Welingara in the central Nara region. “I am also disturbed by reports that about 30 civilians were killed in attacks by as yet unidentified gunmen on two other villages – Ogota and Oimbe – in the Bandiagara region last weekend.”
In this way, Volker Türk, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, expressed this Thursday his dismay at the alleged mass executions that have taken place in Mali by the Malian Armed Forces (FAMA) and the elements integrated into the Wagner/Africa group . Corps. In his statement, Türk also demanded that the Malian authorities guarantee “that their troops, as well as their agents or allies, respect international human rights law and international humanitarian law.” It adds that “on September 24, 2023, 14 herdsmen were allegedly executed in Ndoupa, Segou Region; and on October 5, another 17 civilians were reportedly executed in Ersane village, Gao region.”
Reports of Malian army abuses against civilians are not new and are not limited to the national security forces. Amnesty International had already denounced this in 2018 Increase in war crimes by conflict forces (including jihadist groups) in the Mopti and Segú regions. It was then reported that the legal framework that protects civilians from abuse is not sufficient to ensure their safety. Samira Daoud, Regional Director of Amnesty International West and Central Africa, said: “As part of the review of key Malian judicial laws, the Malian authorities must bring their legal framework into line with international law and grant civil courts exclusive jurisdiction over the crimes provided for in international law.” Three different governments and six years have passed since this complaint, but the situation of civilians living in the red zones has only worsened.
It is also not the first time that the United Nations has highlighted the killing of civilians by Malian security forces. The organization of states demonstrated in December 2020 that FAMA had committed war crimes in recent months, while the jihadists committed crimes against humanity. The published report explained this The jihadists committed “murders, mutilations and other cruel treatment, rape and other forms of sexual violence, hostage-taking and attacks against humanitarian workers and.” MINUSMA ”; FAMA was accused of “committing war crimes, including acts of violence against the life and health of civilians and military service members suspected of being affiliated with or collaborating with extremist armed groups.”
This was also proven by a report published by the United Nations in May 2023 Russian mercenaries and Malian troops took part in the massacre of civilians for five days in the town of Moura, killing 500 people (most through summary executions). These accusations have been systematically rejected by the military junta that governs the country and have led to an increase in the already existing distances between Mali and the United Nations, distances that recently ended with the end of the UN mission in the country (MINUSMA). Consequence withdrawal of all his troops.
Stories of crimes against civilians by government forces and jihadists are a constant in Mali. This journalist could Interview in 2022 to a displaced person from the Mopti region and who explained in detail how the jihadists (he did not know the name of the aggressor group) selected and murdered several of his neighbors, including his own brother, as punishment for resisting the attack that ended his village flooded.
Since 2021, UN experts have received numerous “credible” complaints about attacks, killings and sexual abuse by FAMA and its Russian allies, while social networks have been abuzz with complaints and images of people beheaded or dismembered after their execution. most The attacks would focus on members of the Peul ethnic group, who are accused of having links to jihadismbut more recently such executions have been carried out against people associated with the Azawad independence movement in the north of the country.
The links between Russian troops and attacks on civilians have previously been documented by several organizations and journalists in the Central African Republic, Sudan and Libya. Just as there is evidence of war crimes committed by the Malian army in previous conflicts against Azawad, and the violent methods used by the Islamic State to dominate the civilian population of the captured cities are well known.
Malians themselves are divided on this issue. Some, like Moussa, a bank branch employee in Bamako, believe that “in times of war it is not always possible to bring the guilty to justice.” There may be ambushes along the way to free them. That’s the reason why We trust our security forces to dispense justice“. Others, particularly those closest to the affected communities (Peul and Tuareg), systematically denounce abuses and demand legal guarantees that allow a fair trial for those accused of collaboration with jihadism or with the independence movements that have taken place in the The country is fighting against the FAMA in the North. They also express the difficulties that these crimes pose in the search for national reconciliation that would allow for the proper development of Malian society after the end of the conflict. The more wounds open in the social structure, the more there will be to sew up in the future.
Human Rights Watch He also stated in July 2023 that there was evidence of “atrocities” by FAMA and “obvious Wagner militants.” His report added the testimony of a young man from Ouenkoro village who stated that on March 23, 2023, “I was in the market when the shooting started (and) I saw three military helicopters flying low, one of which was firing.” People fled in all directions… I took my motorcycle and rode as fast as I could. “I saw two people fall to the ground behind me, shot from the helicopters.”
The vulnerability of civilians to armed groups repeated in Burkina FasoThere are increasing complaints pointing to mixed security forces from the regular army and the Homeland Defense Volunteers. On January 25 alone, Human Rights Watch reported that 60 civilians had been killed in three drone strikes since August. (two of which were against markets and a third against celebrating a wedding). In both cases, the presence of jihadist troops on site was known, but no interest in protecting civilian lives was expressed before the bombing began. The jihadist group Ansaroul Islam has also become the subject of allegations that describe it as one of the most violent groups against civilians in Burkina Faso.
The exclusion of the UN mission in Mali, together with increasing cooperation between Sahel governments and Russia, has led to an increase in crimes by security forces. A probability that Moussa from Bamako denies when he explains: “Since France was expelled from Mali, they have done everything to discredit (President) Goita’s partners.” False accusations against our you and against our soldiers.” He does not doubt that summary executions will take place in the red zones, but reiterates that they will be fair executions; and those who are unjust, he does not believe that they really occur.