Staff Writer
Human Rights Watch charged on Monday that scores of civilians have been executed in central Mali since December 2022 during anti-jihadist operations by the Malian military and foreign militants compared to Russian paramilitaries from the Wagner group.
The NGO has also condemned instances of property destruction and looting from civilians, as well as mistreatment of captives.
The African Union and the Economic Community of West African States are being urged by the NGO to exert pressure to stop the abuses and hold the Malian authorities accountable because the UN Mission is scheduled to depart the country by the end of 2023.
40 witnesses were interviewed for a report by Human Rights Watch on their statements in which they claimed the involvement of armed foreign men who did not speak French.
Following a February raid on the community of Séguéla by white foreign fighters in uniform, which ended in beatings, looting, and the arrest of 17 individuals, it was alleged that eight bodies had been discovered lifeless.
Since 2020, the junta in charge has ignored France and diverted its attention both militarily and politically to Russia.
In place of Wagner, it speaks about Russian army instructors who have been sent in the pretense of intergovernmental collaboration.
