Eight civilians were killed and at least six others wounded in what Human Rights Watch described as an apparent military drone strike in Mali’s central Mopti region, as the rights group accused the Malian armed forces and Russia-controlled Africa Corps of wider abuses. The September 16 attack struck Guélédié village, where witnesses said residents had gathered to use satellite internet. Armed fighters linked to al-Qaeda were also reportedly present in the village.
Human Rights Watch separately documented alleged torture and inhumane detention at a military base in Sévaré between May and August. Former detainees said civilians were confined in overcrowded shipping containers with insufficient food, water, sanitation and medical treatment. They described severe beatings, electric shocks and waterboarding, and alleged that several prisoners died in custody.
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The Malian military said its September operation was aimed at suspected militants and resulted in the destruction of their equipment. Human Rights Watch urged credible investigations and accountability, warning that attacks on civilians, torture and the denial of medical care could breach international humanitarian law and, in some cases, amount to war crimes.
