HRW accuses Russia’s Africa Corps of killing eight civilians in Mali airstrikes | Ukraine news

A new HRW investigation points to civilian deaths after June airstrikes linked to a Russia-backed paramilitary force, raising questions about accountability.

DAKAR, July 31 – rights group HRW said that the Russian private military group Africa Corps last month carried out the killing of eight civilians in Mali, including three children, during airstrikes that the group described as “indiscriminate”.

According to HRW, Africa Corps was created by the Russian Ministry of Defense and over time partly took on the activities of the private military company Wagner Group on the continent, supporting the Malian government’s operations against Islamist armed groups.

HRW’s investigation showed that a plane, identified by two Malian military sources as Sukhoi Su-24, dropped at least two bombs over the village Kyrnia in the central Mopti region on 15 June.

One attack occurred near the elder’s house, taking the life of his wife, two children, and another child, while the second attack hit a nearby livestock market, killing four men. HRW stated that among the dead there were no fighters from Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM), the al-Qaeda-linked group that, according to the rights organization, had controlled the village for the last six years.

“The Kyrnia strike, HRW says, did not appear to be aimed at a specific military target, which would render it indiscriminate.”

– HRW

Africa Corps released footage of the air strike on Facebook and X, claiming the strike was carried out on 15 June against the village as a gathering site for terrorist groups in the Mopti region. HRW noted that the video could be linked to Kyrnia.

Independent sources have not yet been able to verify information about the incident.

Officials from Russia and Mali did not respond to requests for comment.

Moscow backs Mali in the fight against Islamist insurgents

Malian forces have been fighting Islamist insurgents for more than a decade, initially with French support, but now – after the government’s decision to expel French troops – backed by Russia. JNIM joined forces with the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) to launch nationwide attacks in April, which killed the defence minister and struck Mali’s main airport. Russia said last month that its personnel were helping Malian forces retake territories after this offensive.

As before, both Malian soldiers and their Russian allies have faced accusations of human rights abuses. The UN and Amnesty International have called for investigations into possible war crimes by JNIM and FLA.

ACLED’s monitoring group recorded that last year Malian forces, together with Russian paramilitary formations, killed 918 civilians – nearly four times more than their main Islamist opponents.

Residents of Kyrnia told HRW that three of the village elder’s sons were members of JNIM, but were not in Kyrnia at the time of the latest air strike. According to them, there were at least 100 JNIM fighters in the village, but their main activity was concentrated in the mosque, which did not suffer an air strike.

HRW calls on the Malian government to investigate these strikes and hold those responsible to account.

“By giving Russian authorities a blank check, the Malian government must recognize that it is also responsible for the crimes of its allies.”

– Ilaria Allegrozzi

In light of these events, rights groups emphasize the importance of transparent investigations and holding all parties to account for possible violations of international law.