Members of Mali’s army and foreign fighters, believed to be Russians, briefly executed 300 civilians, some of whom were suspected of being jihadists, in late March during an operation in a central African city. The non-governmental organization Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported on Tuesday.
In a report released yesterday, the NGO refers to a massacre that took place over several days, from March 27th to March 31st, in the town of Moura (10,000 inhabitants), between Mopti and Dzene, in an area that is one of the main outbreaks of violence in the Sahel.
As testimonies to the facts and press reports multiply, the Mali General Staff spoke last Tuesday night about “non-existent allegations” in order to “tarnish the image” of the armed forces.
Without specifically mentioning HRW, he reiterated that respect for human rights was a “priority in conducting business” and called for “restraint” and the avoidance of “defamatory allegations”.
Authorities in Mali, which ousted the military in a 2020 coup, released their own version of events on Friday, citing a large-scale operation that killed 203 members of “armed terrorist organizations” and arrested 51 others. .
But the UN mission in Mali, the US, the EU and France have expressed concern as reports of events in Moura rise, calling into question the official version.
The massacre in the community is “the worst atrocity” in Mali since the Sahel outbreak of violence in 2012, according to HRW, which cites 27 people as aware of what happened in Moura, including 19 survivors and eyewitnesses.
“The Mali government must urgently and impartially investigate these mass killings,” in particular “the role of foreign troops,” said Corinne Dafka, director of the Sahel’s NGO. For this research to be credible, it must seek the assistance of the African Union and the United Nations, he added.
The events began in Moura on March 27, when soldiers arrived by helicopter in the middle of a weekly zoo, according to HRW. The soldiers exchanged fire with about thirty armed jihadists mixed with a crowd of people; several jihadists, some civilians and two foreign soldiers were killed, according to the NGO.
Mura, like several other communities in Mali, is considered to be controlled by organizations that swear allegiance to al Qaeda.
After helicopter reinforcements arrived, members of the Mali army and foreign troops captured Moura, eyewitnesses told the Observatory for Human Rights.
The foreigners, white, are believed to have been Russian, as they did not speak a word of French, and the media has repeatedly spoken of the arrival of Russian military men to help deal with the jihadists. Western governments have also complained that Wagner Group mercenaries have been deployed in Mali, which Bamako denies, citing Russian trainers in a role similar to that of Europeans.
Soldiers scanned the community, “executed” some residents and arrested hundreds more. In the days that followed, dozens of prisoners were shot dead in small groups, some because of their clothing, some because they had beards, as defined by the rules imposed by the jihadists, or because of their appearance, which revealed which tribe they belonged to.
The “vast majority” of the men executed by members of the Mali army and foreigners were Pell, members of the tribe from which jihadists generally recruit, the HRW report said.
“Intentionally killing and abusing detainees is a war crime,” the NGO recalled.
Civilians were forced to dig mass graves before being executed, according to HRW. Some bodies were cremated to the point of being impossible to identify, the NGO added.
In a statement issued last night, the staff said that the army attacked a gathering of “terrorists” and that fierce fighting ensued. After securing control of Moura, the soldiers conducted a “search” and located “terrorists” hidden inside the population, he continued.
The general staff limited itself to reporting deaths in the army ranks, without going into further detail. He made no mention of foreign troops. He noted, however, that four special forces units, three Soviet-made Mi-17 transport helicopters and two Russian-made Mi-35 attack helicopters, as well as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) were involved in the operation.
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