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According to a statement from the U.N. humanitarian agency, the
bodies were found near the Kwala military camp in western Mali’s
Koulikoro region between April 21 and 22, and are suspected to
be those of men arrested by Malian soldiers and mercenaries from
the Russia-backed Wagner Group ten days earlier.
Citing “unconfirmed reports,” the agency said around 60 men,
most of them ethnic Fulani, were allegedly tortured and
interrogated at the camp about alleged links with “terrorists,"
before being executed.
The Associated Press has not been able to independently verify
the reports. Spokespeople for Mali's military and the government
did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The U.N. experts said that, if confirmed, the killings may
amount to war crimes, while the forced disappearances may
constitute crimes against humanity. They urged Malian
authorities to conduct an independent and transparent
investigation into the killings and forced disappearances of the
men.
Fulani people — also known as the Peuhl — are disproportionately
represented in Islamic militant groups in central Mali, which
has led to them being stigmatized by other ethnic groups and
security forces.
Mali, along with neighbors Burkina Faso and Niger, has for more
than a decade battled an insurgency fought by armed groups,
including some allied with al-Qaida and the Islamic State group.
Following military coups in all three nations in recent years,
the ruling juntas have expelled French forces and turned to
Russian mercenary units for security assistance instead. Since
seizing power in 2021, interim president Assimi Goita has
struggled to curb violence in Mali, while the army has been
accused of targeting civilians.
In December, Human Rights Watch accused Malian armed forces and
the Wagner Group of deliberately killing at least 32 civilians
over an 8-month span.
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