Mali's army and armed groups accused of killings and abuses in new HRW report

Mali's military, Russian-backed fighters and insurgent groups have committed serious violations of international humanitarian law, including killings of civilians and executions of captured soldiers, according to a new report published by Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Monday, 19 October 2026.

The rights organisation documented attacks involving Malian armed forces and their Russian-controlled Africa Corps allies, as well as abuses attributed to Islamist militants and separatist fighters.

Its findings include drone strikes on civilian locations, the killing of five girls by Malian soldiers and the torture and execution of at least 19 captured military personnel.

The report comes amid renewed fighting between government forces and armed groups challenging the military administration led by General Assimi Goïta.

Human Rights Watch has urged the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council to strengthen oversight of the conflict and press all parties to end abuses and ensure accountability.

Drone strikes leave civilians dead and infrastructure damaged

Human Rights Watch documented two apparently indiscriminate drone attacks attributed to Mali's military in July and August 2026.

On 29 July, an apparent drone strike damaged a health facility in Talahandak village, in the northern Kidal region. Witnesses told investigators that the centre had been providing medical services to civilians and was not being used by armed groups.

A second strike hit a market in Tombonkore village, in the central Bandiagara region, on 19 August, killing six civilians and injuring at least 20 others.

The organisation examined photographs, videos and witness accounts to reconstruct the incidents and assess their consequences.

Data from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data project (ACLED), cited by Human Rights Watch, show that Malian forces and Africa Corps carried out 49 airstrikes between April and August 2026, killing 89 civilians.

That compares with 22 strikes and 44 civilian deaths during the corresponding period in 2025.

Reported airstrikes by Malian forces and Africa Corps

ACLED also recorded 268 civilian deaths attributed to Malian armed forces and 134 attributed to the Al-Qaeda-linked Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM) between April and August 2026.

These figures cover different categories of violence and should not be added together without accounting for possible overlaps in the underlying incident records.

Five girls killed during military operation

Among the incidents examined by Human Rights Watch was the killing of five girls aged between 10 and 13 near Niono, in Mali's central Ségou region, on 12 July.

According to witnesses interviewed by the organisation, Malian soldiers opened fire on the children while they were harvesting rice in a field approximately three kilometres from the town.

Soldiers reportedly told the families that they had mistaken the girls for insurgents following an earlier attack on military personnel in the area.

The soldiers subsequently apologised to the families, according to witness testimony.

Human Rights Watch concluded that the troops had failed to take sufficient precautions to establish whether their targets were combatants before opening fire.

As of mid-September, the organisation had received no information indicating that the government had opened an investigation or provided compensation to the families.

The report also documented the killing of three civilians by government-allied Dozo militiamen in the Mopti region on 27 and 28 July.

Witnesses alleged that the victims were targeted because of their Fulani ethnicity, amid longstanding accusations that security forces and allied militias have associated Fulani communities with Islamist insurgent groups.

Armed groups accused of executing captured soldiers

Human Rights Watch also documented serious abuses by insurgent groups fighting Mali's military government.

On 18 July, fighters from JNIM and the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) attacked a military convoy near Tabrichat in the Gao region.

At least 19 Malian soldiers who had surrendered were subsequently tortured and executed, according to the organisation's findings.

Investigators examined videos showing captured soldiers being beaten and shot. However, Human Rights Watch could not conclusively determine which armed group individual perpetrators belonged to.

JNIM acknowledged that the killings occurred but said its leadership had not ordered them. The FLA denied that its forces had carried out the executions.

The United Nations human rights office condemned the killing of surrendered soldiers on 23 July and called for accountability.

Under international humanitarian law, captured combatants who are no longer participating in hostilities must be treated humanely. Their torture or execution is prohibited regardless of which party holds them.

Renewed fighting deepens Mali's security crisis

The latest allegations follow an escalation in fighting that began on 25 April, when JNIM and allied separatist fighters launched coordinated attacks across Mali.

Government forces, supported by Russian Africa Corps personnel, responded with military operations, including airstrikes and ground offensives.

Mali has experienced prolonged political instability following military coups in 2020 and 2021. The country has also increasingly relied on Russian security assistance as its relations with former Western military partners deteriorated.

Human Rights Watch has previously documented abuses attributed to government forces, foreign fighters and Islamist armed groups, including killings, destruction of property and attacks against communities accused of supporting opposing sides.

The organisation's October investigation involved remote interviews with 30 people between 30 July and 20 September, including witnesses, human rights defenders, community leaders, journalists and a Malian soldier.

Researchers also examined photographic and video evidence associated with several incidents.

Human Rights Watch said it wrote to Mali's defence minister on 5 August requesting information about its findings but received no response before publishing its report.

Human Rights Watch urges African Union action

Human Rights Watch has called on the African Union Peace and Security Council to convene a dedicated session addressing civilian protection and accountability in Mali.

The organisation wants the council to condemn abuses committed by all parties, request information on investigations and support independent inquiries into alleged violations.

The AU council previously discussed Mali's security situation on 28 April, calling for stronger civilian protection and continued monitoring of developments.

Human Rights Watch argues that additional measures are necessary to prevent further attacks and address the lack of accountability surrounding reported violations.

International humanitarian law prohibits deliberate attacks against civilians, indiscriminate attacks and the torture or execution of captured fighters.