Overview

• Human Rights Watch claims Malian forces and the Wagner Group have killed at least 32 civilians, forcibly disappeared four others, and burned over 100 homes since May 2024.
• Islamist armed groups, including al-Qaida and Islamic State affiliates, are accused of executing 47 civilians and displacing thousands since June 2024.
• The abuses reportedly occurred after the UN peacekeeping mission, MINUSMA, ended its decade-long presence in Mali in December 2023 at the junta's request.
• The Malian junta's reliance on Russian mercenaries has drawn criticism as accountability for human rights violations remains absent.
• Human Rights Watch warns the real scale of abuses may be significantly underreported due to limited access to affected regions.