Human Rights Watch has uncovered two horrific massacres in Mali, reporting that the Malian army and allied militias killed at least 31 civilians in attacks on the villages of Kamona and Bali in the Ségou region.
The report documents that the first massacre occurred in Kamona on October 2, when forces executed 21 civilians and set several homes on fire.
The second attack targeted the nearby village of Bali, leaving ten civilians dead, including one woman.
According to the organization, eyewitnesses — including a herder who survived with his daughter — confirmed that the victims were executed after being accused of collaborating with the JNIM (Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin) armed group.
Survivors later found 17 bullet-riddled bodies at the scene.
Human Rights Watch urged Malian authorities to launch an immediate investigation into the two massacres and called on the African Union to take concrete steps to end the ongoing conflict and ensure accountability for human rights violations.
