Mali faces escalating civilian abuses amid militant offensives

Human Rights Watch has documented serious violations against civilians in Mali following coordinated attacks by Islamist militants, separatist groups, and state forces in late April. The Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM), allied with the Front de Libération de l’Azawad (FLA), along with the Malian army and Russian-backed Africa Corps, stand accused of systematic abuses.

Widespread attacks target civilian populations

The JNIM and FLA offensives in the Gao and Kidal regions have left at least 13 civilians dead and 25 injured, according to local testimonies. Residents report indiscriminate shelling from multiple factions, making it impossible to determine the source of gunfire. One Kidal resident, aged 38, described severe injuries after being struck in the shoulder and thigh, with no clear explanation for the attack.

Documented atrocities and destruction

Human Rights Watch reports that JNIM militants torched over 40 civilian vehicles between May 6 and 21 along critical routes to Bamako. In Tonka, an unarmed man was publicly executed, with witnesses recovering his body showing a gunshot wound to the head. The Malian army’s operations in central Mali’s Peul communities allegedly resulted in 38 civilian deaths, including 23 children. Suspected drone strikes in Guimbé and Tené caused further destruction, with survivors describing the sudden aerial assaults as catastrophic.

Human Rights Watch compiled evidence through 34 remote interviews, satellite imagery, and video analysis. Despite multiple requests for comment, Malian authorities have not responded. The JNIM acknowledged civilian casualties as an inevitable consequence of conflict, while the FLA claimed to have taken precautions to protect non-combatants.