The Tuareg independence movement accused soldiers and Russian mercenaries for the murder of civilians.
Mali’s army initiated an investigation into the murder of civilians by soldiers and Russian mercenaries in the early this week in a rare examination of human rights violations since the military took power in 2020.
The front for the liberation of Azawad, the Tuareg independence movement in the north of the country, accused the Malian soldiers and the Russian Wagner group of mercenaries to break down two civilian vehicles that are bound by the eastern Malic City of Gao and at least 24 “cold Executed “people among the passengers on Monday.
Without referring to the murders on Wednesday, the Malian forces struck “intoxicating campaigns” against the army. By Friday, the army announced that death investigates.
According to the Tuareg independence movement at the beginning of this week, a vehicle was set on fire, while the other escaped with some survivors.
A family member of one of the drivers of the vehicles informed the AFP news agency on Tuesday that a car had transported migrants.
“They encountered a group of Wagner Öldern and a few malic soldiers who shot them. Everyone died in the first car. My cousin too, ”they said under the condition of the anonymity.
Rida Lyammouri, a high -ranking scholarship holder in the Policy Center for the New South, a Moroccan think tank, said the Associated Press that it was unlikely that the investigation of the army is incorrect for the incident in the actions of the soldiers or Russian mercenary difficulties.
“The goal of the investigation will be more about counteracting the allegations against (the army) and Wagner, instead of trying to find misconduct from the latter. The conclusion of the investigation will probably say that these allegations are wrong, ”said Lyammouri.
Mali has been in a crisis for more than a decade. In 2020, a military group confiscated on the dissatisfaction of the population about attacks of armed groups, the power in a coup that fell the democratically elected president.
Mali’s military ruler, led by Colonel Assimi Goita, turned from the Russia’s Wagner group of mercenaries to the link to the former colonial ruler of France for security reasons.
In December, Human Rights Watch condemned the “atrocities”, which were committed by the army and its Russian allies against civilians, as well as groups associated with Isil and al-Qaida.
