Soldiers, mercenaries killed at least 34 civilians in Mali

DAKAR (Reuters) : At least 34 civilians were killed in seven incidents during joint military operations in Mali by the army and Russia’s Wagner mercenary group between June 2023 and December 2025, Amnesty ‌International said in a report on Tuesday.

The human rights organization documented the deaths of 34 people, who it said were not participating in hostilities, in incidents across Mali’s Segou, Mopti and Timbuktu regions along the Mauritanian border.

It said the victims were mostly members of pastoralist communities who were attacked based on their ethnicity and their presence in areas where militant groups were active.

Mali’s military-led government, which took power after coups in 2020 and 2021, has denied killing civilians in its fight against militants. It did not immediately respond to a request for comment, nor did Moscow.

“These murders were deliberate: the victims were shot, had their throats cut, or were burned alive,” Amnesty’s report said, adding that acts described in ‌the report amounted to war crimes.

Those interviewed for the report told Amnesty they were tortured mostly by Wagner members during patrols or during their detention at military bases. Others described civilians being hit in drone strikes and the destruction of civilian property.

“In their minds, all herders are terrorists, and as a result they do not hesitate to burn people and property,” a herder who has taken refuge in Mauritania told Amnesty.

The Wagner mercenary group left Mali in 2025. But the Africa Corps, which is made up of many former Wagner fighters, still operates there.

Amnesty said it shared the report’s findings with the Malian authorities on Aug. 3 but did not receive a response at the time of publication.

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