HRW Senior Sahel Researcher Ilaria Allegrozzi said Malian forces and the Russian-controlled Africa Corps had killed and injured civilians during attacks and in custody.
The violence escalated after the Al-Qaeda-linked Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin and other fighters launched coordinated attacks from late April.
Allegrozzi said counterinsurgency operations conducted in response had frequently killed civilians and destroyed civilian property. “These operations no longer appear to be directed only against armed groups but deliberately target civilian communities perceived as sympathisers or accused of providing support,” Allegrozzi said.
HRW documented a military drone strike on a livestock market in central Mali that killed six men and injured more than 20 people.
Another incident involved five girls killed after soldiers allegedly mistook them for armed fighters in the Ségou region.
Drone strikes and associated civilian casualties more than doubled between April and August compared with the corresponding period in 2025, according to HRW.
Allegrozzi said armed groups had also committed serious violations, including the reported killing of at least 19 Malian soldiers by Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin in July. “These incidents are extremely serious and must be the subject of thorough investigations,” Allegrozzi said.
Data compiled by the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project indicated that Malian forces killed 268 civilians between April and August, while Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin killed 134 civilians during the same period.
“The army in Mali is killing more civilians than Al-Qaeda,” Allegrozzi said. “We have an army that is not accountable and soldiers who feel that they are above the law.”
Allegrozzi said the violence reflected a longstanding pattern rather than isolated incidents. Impunity had encouraged further abuses because alleged violations rarely resulted in independent investigations or credible prosecutions.
HRW criticised the international response and called for stronger action by the UN and African Union (AU). “The protection of civilians must be an absolute priority,” Allegrozzi said.
Allegrozzi urged the AU Peace and Security Council to hold a special session on civilian protection in Mali and establish regular monitoring of violations committed by all parties.
–ChannelAfrica–
