A comprehensive investigative report released on Monday, June 29, 2026, by Human Rights Watch outlines a damning indictment against the various forces operating within Mali. Since a pivotal military shift on April 25, the Malian regular army, its Russian partners, and Islamist insurgents have engaged in an escalating cycle of violence. Beyond the tragic human toll, the human rights organization highlights a brutal strategy of economic strangulation, pushing civilian populations into extreme vulnerability.

The spiral of violence after Kidal’s fall

Spring 2026 marked a critical turning point in Mali’s ongoing crisis. On April 25, a coordinated offensive by the jihadist Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM) and separatists from the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) culminated in the capture of Kidal and the killing of Defense Minister Sadio Camara. This significant setback prompted a forceful response from the central government. The Malian Armed Forces (FAMa), bolstered by Russian military advisors from Africa Corps, promptly launched a high-intensity counter-offensive. While official sources have remained tight-lipped regarding the human cost of these operations, data gathered by Human Rights Watch (HRW) indicates at least 13 fatalities and 25 injuries among civilians during the initial clashes in Gao and Kidal alone.

The fuel war: economy as a target

On the ground, JNIM’s tactics have evolved into economic terrorism. To exert pressure on Bamako, Al-Qaeda-affiliated networks are actively disrupting the nation’s logistical lifelines through stringent road blockades. Commercial transport vehicles are primary targets in this war of attrition. Between May 6 and 21, over 40 civilian transport vehicles en route to the capital were intercepted and incinerated. Even more critically, the systematic targeting of fuel tankers since September 2025 has resulted in driver deaths and crippled distribution networks. This strategy of logistical strangulation has left vast areas of the country without electricity and fuel, leading to school closures and paralyzing local market activities.

The insurgents’ oppressive tactics also manifest through targeted acts of terror, such as the public execution of a resident in Tonka, within the Timbuktu sector, explicitly aimed at quashing any nascent resistance.

The humanitarian crisis unfolds through a dual mechanism:

• JNIM’s tactics —> Road blockades —> Energy shortages & inflation
• FAMa/Russia’s response —> Indiscriminate drone strikes —> Displacement & civilian casualties

Civilians targeted by the Bamako-Moscow alliance

Concurrently, the operational responses by FAMa and Africa Corps have resulted in significant civilian losses. HRW condemns systematic abuses during security operations conducted in central Mali, where Peul communities are violently targeted and unfairly associated with insurgent movements. Between May 14 and 17 alone, HRW’s documentation identified 38 civilians, including 23 minors, killed during ground incursions. Adding to this tragic toll are the devastating effects of advanced drone strikes:

• Guimbé (April 25): An aerial bombardment claimed the lives of 12 children and adolescents.
• Téné (May 17): A strike directly hit a wedding ceremony, leaving 10 civilians dead.

Justifications and lack of dialogue

When questioned about the legitimacy of its targets and the economic stranglehold on transport infrastructure, the JNIM leadership responded to HRW investigators. The armed group asserted that targeted civilians had refused to comply with decrees and regulations imposed by the movement within its controlled territories. In contrast, the Malian Ministry of Justice has maintained a wall of silence, failing to address clarification requests and right-of-reply protocols submitted by the human rights advocacy organization.

Call for an international inquiry

Confronted with these flagrant breaches of international humanitarian law, which strictly prohibits indiscriminate attacks against non-combatants, impunity continues to be the primary impediment to peace. Ilaria Allegrozzi, Human Rights Watch’s Sahel specialist, states that this historical lack of accountability fuels Mali’s ongoing tragedy. Without the oversight mechanisms of the former UN mission, the nation is descending further into lawlessness. The organization now urgently calls upon the African Union and the United Nations to sponsor a fact-finding mission, crucial for gathering the material evidence necessary for future criminal proceedings.