Human Rights Watch released a statement Thursday documenting allegations that Africa Corps, a Russian-controlled paramilitary force, carried out extrajudicial killings of nine civilians in Mali during early July, including four children. The organization accused the paramilitaries of conducting the killings in the presence of Malian military personnel, and also alleged that dozens of people were beaten and at least eight homes were set alight during the same period.
According to HRW’s investigation, which included interviews with witnesses conducted between July 19 and 30, the alleged killings occurred in Bombori village in Mali’s central Mopti region on July 10. The group documented that more than 100 Africa Corps fighters rounded up at least 80 men and boys from the village and subjected them to beatings while Malian soldiers were present. During interrogations focused on suspected links to armed groups, six civilians were reportedly shot while attempting to flee, while three others were detained and subsequently executed, with one allegedly beheaded.
HRW’s senior Sahel researcher stated that Mali’s military government appeared to have authorized the Russian paramilitaries to conduct such operations, and emphasized that Malian authorities bear legal responsibility regardless of which actors carried out the violence. The organization called for prompt and impartial investigations into the abuses and accountability for all responsible parties, including Malian military personnel.
Mali has endured conflict since 2012 when a Tuareg separatist uprising in the north escalated into broader armed campaigns. The current military-led government is engaged in conflicts with multiple armed groups affiliated with al-Qaeda and ISIL. Residents reported to HRW that al-Qaeda-linked JNIM had controlled Bombori since 2017, though JNIM fighters were reportedly absent from the village on the day of the killings. Russia has become Mali’s primary military partner following the nation’s military coups and deteriorating relations with Western nations, particularly France.
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