HRW condemns atrocities by armed groups in Mali

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has condemned the atrocities committed by armed groups in Mali, particularly highlighting the actions of Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wa al-Muslimeen (JNIM) and the Dozo militia.

These groups have been responsible for killing 45 people in separate attacks on villages in Central Mali in January, according to a report released by HRW.

The report details how a Dozo armed group, primarily consisting of ethnic Bambara, carried out a brutal attack on the village of Kalala, killing 13 people and abducting 24 civilians.

In another incident, JNIM fighters, predominantly Fulani, attacked the villages of Ogota and Ouembe, resulting in the deaths of at least 32 people, including three children.

The attackers also set fire to hundreds of homes and forced 2,000 people to flee their villages.

These attacks are not isolated incidents but are part of a larger pattern of violence and communal conflicts that have plagued Mali since 2015.

The absence of a UN peacekeeping mission in the country has further exacerbated the situation, leaving civilians vulnerable to the brutality of armed groups.

HRW has called on the authorities to take action to end the cycle of violence and revenge killings and to provide better protection for civilians in Mali.

The organization has emphasized that these attacks violate international humanitarian law and constitute war crimes, highlighting the urgent need for accountability and justice for the victims.

“Islamist armed groups and ethnic militias are brutally attacking civilians without fear of prosecution,” said Ilaria Allegrozzi, senior Sahel researcher at HRW.

Since 2015, Mali has been plagued by the presence of extremist groups affiliated with al-Qaeda and ISIL (ISIS), who have taken over territory and made parts of the country ungovernable.

A military coup in 2021 promised to address the insecurity, but attacks have continued unabated, with accusations of human rights abuses levelled against the military itself.

Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, all neighbours with porous borders, are now under military rule, having expelled French forces that once helped combat the armed groups. Instead, they have turned to Russian mercenary units for assistance.

The United Nations Mission in Mali has withdrawn at the behest of the military government, leaving a security vacuum in the region.

Human Rights Watch has criticized the authorities for their failure to properly investigate incidents involving armed groups or ethnic militias.

The situation in Mali remains precarious, with ongoing conflict and instability gripping the nation.

The report underscores the importance of addressing the underlying causes of conflict in Mali and implementing measures to safeguard the rights and safety of civilians in the region.

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