Amnesty International Accuses Mali and Russia of War Crimes

Amnesty International published a report titled "No One is Spared" accusing the Armed Forces of Mali and Russian paramilitary forces of committing war crimes, including murder and torture, between June 2023 and December 2025. The investigation documented the deaths of at least 34 civilians across the Timbuktu, Segou, and Mopti regions, noting that victims were primarily from Fulani, Arab, and Tuareg pastoral communities targeted due to their ethnicity or suspected collusion with militants.

The report details executions where victims were shot, burned alive, or had their throats slit. It specifically highlights two 2025 drone strikes that killed at least 23 people, including five children. Additionally, the organization documented the torture of 30 individuals at military bases in Lere and Nampala. These abuses occurred during joint operations involving the Wagner Group and its successor, Africa Corps, a Russian defense ministry-linked entity that continues to operate in Mali after Wagner departed in 2025.

The military-led government of Mali has denied killing civilians and did not respond to the findings shared in August. In a related development, Mali has notified its withdrawal from the International Criminal Court, effective June 2027. Meanwhile, the International Federation for Human Rights and other civil society groups filed a case with the African Union's human rights court in April to address these abuses.