Mali soldiers' killings may be war crimes, Amnesty says

Amnesty International said the killing of at least 19 Malian soldiers after an insurgent attack in northern Mali should be investigated as possible war crimes.

The rights group said Wednesday that it analysed 12 videos from a July 18 attack on a convoy leaving Anefis. Malian officials said at least 50 soldiers were killed in the attack by Tuareg separatists and jihadists.

Amnesty said three videos showed at least 19 soldiers who were out of combat before being mistreated and killed “execution style”. Ousmane Diallo, Amnesty International's senior Sahel researcher, said anyone out of action, including prisoners or soldiers who have surrendered, must be protected under international humanitarian law.

The July 18 attack was claimed by both the Tuareg separatist FLA and the Al-Qaeda-affiliated Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims, known as JNIM. Amnesty said two of the videos it analysed showed a white flag characteristic of JNIM.

Amnesty called on Malian authorities to carry out an independent and impartial investigation. The United Nations last week also demanded an investigation into the overall killings.

Mali has been ruled by a military government since coups in 2020 and 2021. The junta has struggled to restore security after years of jihadist and separatist unrest.