SEGOU, Mali (BN24)— Mali’s military and allied militias killed at least 31 villagers in two attacks in the central Segou region, where the main insurgent group linked to al Qaeda operates, Human Rights Watch said Tuesday in a detailed report documenting the killings.
The first attack occurred on October 2 in the village of Kamona, where HRW reported that soldiers and allied militias killed at least 21 men and burned homes. Witnesses described the troops moving through the village, accusing residents of supporting Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), an al Qaeda-linked group that has been expanding operations in southern Mali.
A second attack occurred in Balle, roughly 55 kilometers (34 miles) from Kamona. At least 10 villagers, including a woman, were killed. Witnesses said the army and militia forces carried out executions after identifying individuals they suspected of collaborating with insurgents.
One survivor, a local herder, recounted hiding in an abandoned home with his nine-year-old daughter during the Kamona attack. When it was safe to emerge, he discovered 17 bodies riddled with bullets, HRW said. Witness testimonies described homes set ablaze and families fleeing into nearby bushlands, creating a climate of fear across the region.
The report called on the Malian authorities to urgently investigate the killings and hold perpetrators accountable. Human Rights Watch also urged the African Union to take measures to help end the ongoing conflict and provide protection for civilians caught between state forces and insurgents. Requests for comment from Mali’s army and the African Union were not immediately returned.
Mali, a landlocked country in West Africa, has been grappling with escalating attacks by jihadist groups that target government forces and civilian communities. In recent months, insurgent groups imposed a fuel blockade, leading to long lines at stations and dramatically increasing costs for diesel generators, which are critical for hospitals, businesses, and rural communities.
Despite the intensifying violence, Mali’s foreign minister dismissed as implausible the notion that jihadists could seize the capital, Bamako, in the near future. Analysts, however, warn that the central and southern regions of the country have become increasingly vulnerable as government forces struggle to maintain security and humanitarian access.
The HRW report underscores the growing humanitarian crisis in Mali, where civilians face threats from both insurgent groups and state-aligned military operations. Human Rights Watch said international intervention, including oversight by regional organizations such as the African Union, is critical to preventing further atrocities.
