Mali tragedy: eight civilians killed in Mopti, Africa Corps under scrutiny
Mali tragedy: eight civilians killed in Mopti, Africa Corps under scrutiny
An airstrike in central Mali has left eight civilians dead, including three children, according to Human Rights Watch. The attack, which occurred on June 15 in the village of Kyrnia, is alleged to have been carried out by the Russian paramilitary group Africa Corps. The organisation insists the strike did not target a military objective and is demanding an immediate investigation. Neither Malian nor Russian authorities have responded to these allegations.
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In a newly released report, Human Rights Watch details how a combat aircraft, identified by two Malian military sources as a Sukhoi Su-24, dropped at least two bombs on Kyrnia village in the Mopti region. The first explosion struck near the village chief’s home, killing his wife, two of his children, and another child. The second bomb landed in a nearby livestock market, where four men were killed. After analysing the attack’s circumstances, HRW concludes the strikes lacked precision targeting and were indiscriminate in nature.
Africa Corps claims it targeted terrorists
Africa Corps, a Russian paramilitary unit operating under the country’s Defence Ministry and deployed alongside Malian forces, shared aerial footage of a June 15 strike on Facebook and X. The group asserts it targeted a gathering of ‘terrorist groups’ in the Mopti area. Human Rights Watch has geolocated these images to Kyrnia. However, the organisation notes that no members of the Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM), an Al-Qaeda affiliate reportedly controlling the village for years, appear to have been killed in the bombing.
Residents interviewed by HRW revealed that three of the village chief’s sons belong to JNIM but were not present during the attack. They also stated that armed fighters were in the village, primarily gathering in an untouched mosque. Human Rights Watch is urging Malian authorities to launch an investigation and assign responsibility. The organisation highlights that operations involving Malian troops and their Russian allies have frequently faced accusations of human rights abuses.
According to Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED), 918 civilians were killed in 2025 during operations linked to the Malian army and its Russian partners. Meanwhile, the United Nations and Amnesty International have previously called for inquiries into potential war crimes attributed to both JNIM and the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA).