Mali’s military and armed groups committing abuses against civilians: HRW

By Al Jazeera Staff and AFP. Published On 19 Oct 202619 Oct 2026.

Key points

• It pressed the African Union's Peace and Security Council to "urgently take action to prevent further atrocities" in Mali.
• The HRW report additionally drew on research by Armed Conflict Location and Event Data, a nongovernmentsl group that gathers conflict data from worldwide.
• Mali's military and its Russian paramilitary allies have killed civilians in breach of international law, and opposition armed groups have done likewise, Human Rights Watch (HRW) notes.
• The Azawad Liberation Front, HRW continued, acknowledged fighting with the army and Russian forces in the northeastern region on the day but denied executing soldiers.
• It became the state-controlled paramilitary group Africa Corps in 2025.

Soldiers and fighters "are committing grave laws-of-war violations while international organisations and governments largely stand by", the United States-based rights watchdog remarked in a report issued on Monday.

For context, the West African country has been mired in fighting and attacks since 2012 as the military and its allies have battled an array of armed groups, including Tuareg separatists, and criminal gangs.

Meanwhile, the military administration that has ruled Mali since back-to-back coups in 2020 and 2021 has turned to Russia for backing, enlisting the services initially of fighters from the private Wagner Group. It became the state-controlled paramilitary group Africa Corps in 2025. 'Scores of civilians' killed.

Notably, the rights group remarked its report was based on interviews with 30 residents – witnesses, human rights defenders, community leaders, journalists and a Malian soldier – conducted from late July to mid-September.

"Mali's military and the allied Russia-controlled Africa Corps. Have killed and wounded scores of civilians in attacks and in custody in violation of international humanitarian law, " HRW remarked.

Armed groups "have also violated the laws-of-war, including torturing and executing captured Malian soldiers", it continued.

HRW remarked it documented two "apparently indiscriminate" drone attacks by the Malian military.

As the report notes, a July 29 attack in the Kidal region of northeastern Mali destroyed part of a health facility, and a second on August 19 hit a market in the central region of Bandiagara, killing six civilians and wounding at least 20.

HRW remarked it additionally documented an operation against armed groups in the Segou region in the south, where Malian soldiers shot and killed five girls, and another in the central region of Mopti, where members of the military-allied Dozo militia killed three civilians, "all with impunity".

HRW additionally cited an attack on a military convoy in the Gao region on July 18 by Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) and allied separatist fighters in the Azawad Liberation Front.

It remarked the two groups "tortured and executed at least 19 Malian troops" they had taken prisoner.

In practice, the JNIM acknowledged that prisoners were killed in the event but denied having ordered the deaths, HRW remarked.

Meanwhile, the Azawad Liberation Front, HRW continued, acknowledged fighting with the army and Russian forces in the northeastern region on the day but denied executing soldiers.

For context, the HRW report additionally drew on research by Armed Conflict Location and Event Data, a nongovernmentsl group that gathers conflict data from worldwide.

It remarked its data show 49 air strikes by Malian forces and the Africa Corps from April to August that killed 89 civilians, "more than double the 22 strikes and 44 civilian deaths reported during the same period last year".

HRW remarked it sent a letter to Mali's defence minister on August 5 with its findings and questions but received no response.

Taken together, the developments around mali's military and armed groups committing abuses against civilians: HRW point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.