UN experts deplored the seeming summary execution and enforced disappearance of people in Mali. The experts said the illegal killings could constitute war crimes and that the enforced disappearance could be crimes against humanity.
The experts concluded that the Malian authorities violated the right to life by not carrying out effective investigations and called for “Malian authorities to carry out prompt, effective, thorough, independent, impartial and transparent investigations into these killings and enforced disappearances, in compliance with international law.
The bodies, which were discovered between April 21 and 22 close to the Kwala military camp in the Koulikoro region of western Mali, are believed to be those of men who were detained ten days earlier by Malian soldiers and mercenaries from the Russia-backed Wagner Group, the U.N. humanitarian agency said in a statement.
According to the agency, which cited “unconfirmed reports,” some 60 men—most of whom were ethnic Fulani—were allegedly tortured and questioned about their supposed ties to “terrorists” inside the camp before being put to death.
Other ethnic groups and security forces have demonized Fulani people, also known as the Peuhl, because of their disproportionate representation in Islamic extremist organizations in central Mali. For almost ten years, Mali and its neighbors Burkina Faso and Niger have been fighting an insurgency headed by armed groups, some of whom are affiliated with al-Qaida and the Islamic State organization.
The military governments in West Africa are increasingly using enforced disappearances as a form of repression, according to a warning from Amnesty International (AI). AI verified that military leaders had used illegal detentions and enforced disappearances to stifle critics. According to FAMa, military actions took place in a number of locations, including Sebabougou and Kwala, between April 11 and April 15.
The experts emphasized that in order to enable accurate identification and keep the victims from being listed as missing, Malian authorities must make sure that the corpses of the deceased are appropriately discovered, recorded, and safeguarded. After that, the corpses must be properly given to the deceased’s family for final disposal and grieving.
The experts also emphasized how crucial it is to carry out thorough investigations to guarantee accountability and offer efficient remedies for human rights abuses in order to satisfy Mali’s commitments under international law.
The ruling juntas have ejected French soldiers and resorted to Russian mercenary groups for security support after military coups in all three countries in recent years. The army has been accused of attacking civilians, and temporary president Assimi Goita has had difficulty reducing violence in Mali since taking office in 2021. Human Rights Watch said in December that the Wagner Group and the Malian military had killed at least 32 civilians on purpose during an 8-month period.
