Russia’s Africa Corps killed Mali civilians in air strike: HRW

What the report says

Human Rights Watch has accused Russia’s Kremlin-controlled Africa Corps of killing eight civilians, including three children, in an air strike in central Mali. According to the report cited by Al Jazeera, the attack took place on June 15 in Kyrnia, a village in Mali’s Mopti region, where the armed group JNIM has held influence for years and where Malian forces are fighting several insurgent factions linked to al-Qaeda and ISIL.

HRW said an aircraft identified by Malian military sources as a Sukhoi Su-24 dropped at least two munitions. One strike reportedly hit near the village chief’s home, while another landed near a small cattle market. The organization said no JNIM positions were hit, and described the attack as potentially indiscriminate if civilians were targeted or caught up because of their association with the group. It also noted that the chief has family members linked to JNIM and does business with the armed group.

Africa Corps said in a June 23 post on X that it had struck a terrorist gathering and killed several commanders. HRW said it based its findings on remote interviews, satellite imagery and video analysis. The group urged Mali’s military-led authorities to investigate possible war crimes. The report adds to wider concern over civilian harm in Mali, where Russian paramilitaries have fought alongside state forces since 2021 amid a broader regional conflict that has displaced France’s influence and drawn closer ties to Russia.