A report by the Human Rights Watch published on 24 July 2023 accuses “foreign fighters apparently from the Russia-linked Wagner group” of executing civilians in Mali since December 2022. The accusation comes after Mali expelled the UN peace-keeping mission for tarnishing the image of the army.
World Watch Research analyst Yonas Dembele comments: The Human Rights Watch report paints a distressing picture of the rampant human rights abuses occurring in the country. The report suggests that both Malian armed forces and the Wagner Group have also been involved in enforced disappearances of numerous civilians in central Mali. With the UN peacekeepers’ forced withdrawal, there is an urgent need for international scrutiny and intervention to address the worsening human rights situation in Mali and work towards ensuring the safety and security of all Malian civilians, including the vulnerable Christian communities. The recent adoption of a new constitution in Mali, although a significant development, is unlikely to bring about any positive change within the current environment of rampant impunity and lawlessness. Greater efforts must therefore be made to hold those responsible for the atrocities accountable, fostering a culture of justice rather than impunity.”
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