In a newly released report, Human Rights Watch details how a combat aircraft, identified by two Malian military sources as a Sukhoi Su-24, dropped at least two bombs on Kyrnia village in the Mopti region. The first strike landed near the village chief’s home, killing his wife, two of his children, and another child. The second bomb struck a nearby livestock market, where four men were killed. After analysing the attack’s circumstances, HRW concludes the strikes were indiscriminate and failed to hit any legitimate military target.

Africa Corps claims strike targeted militants

Africa Corps, a Russian-backed paramilitary unit operating under Mali’s Defence Ministry, shared aerial footage of a June 15 strike on Facebook and X. The group alleges it targeted a gathering of “terrorist fighters” in Mopti. Human Rights Watch has geolocated these images to Kyrnia. The organisation notes that no members of the Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM), an Al-Qaeda affiliate reportedly controlling the village for years, appear to have been killed in the bombardment.

Residents interviewed by HRW stated that three of the village chief’s sons belong to JNIM but were absent during the strike. They also reported that armed fighters were present in the village, primarily gathered in an untouched mosque. Human Rights Watch has urged Malian authorities to launch an investigation and determine accountability. The organisation highlights that operations involving Malian forces and their Russian allies have repeatedly faced accusations of human rights violations.

According to Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED), 918 civilians were killed in 2025 during operations attributed to Mali’s military and their Russian partners. Meanwhile, the United Nations and Amnesty International have previously called for probes into alleged war crimes linked to JNIM and the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA).