Massacres in central Mali: army and dozos accused of atrocities
Survivors and community leaders in Mali’s Ségou region have detailed harrowing accounts of executions, arson, and looting carried out by state forces and allied militias in two villages last October. At least 31 civilians, including women and children, were killed in attacks on Kamona and Balle, marking another dark chapter in the country’s escalating conflict.
Kamona: executions and destruction
On October 2, soldiers from the Malian Armed Forces and allied dozo militias—traditional hunters predominantly from the Bambara ethnic group—began a coordinated assault on Kamona village. Using at least seven pickup trucks, three armored vehicles, and motorcycles, they systematically targeted men, executing at least 21 individuals and setting fire to 10 homes. Survivors reported that residents had been warned of the army’s advance by GSIM fighters, prompting many to flee before the violence erupted.
A local shepherd, who hid with his 9-year-old daughter in an abandoned house, recounted finding 17 bullet-riddled bodies under a tree after the attackers left. “They were shot at close range. Some had their skulls shattered,” he said. “Spent cartridges lay scattered everywhere.” Another villager, who helped bury the dead, described the victims as men aged 20 to 65, though locals suspect the toll can be higher. “We heard at least 15 more men were killed in the bush that day,” he stated. “But we dared not check, fearing the soldiers would return.“
The attack left Kamona’s Fulani ethnic minority community particularly devastated. Their huts and granaries were torched, and witnesses identified the dozos by their traditional attire and amulets. “The dozos and soldiers accused us of supporting the GSIM,” a community leader said. “They showed no mercy—even to the elderly or disabled.“
Balle: targeted killings and livestock theft
Thirteen days later, the same forces struck Balle, a village under GSIM control for years. Residents paid Islamic taxes (zakat) to the group and relied on its rulings for disputes, as no state security forces were present. “The army assumes we’re all fighters,” a local explained. “They don’t distinguish between civilians and jihadists.“
Around 1 p.m. on October 13, soldiers in five pickup trucks and dozos on 30 motorcycles stormed the village. A 24-year-old man described how soldiers went door-to-door, assaulting men before opening fire. “I hid and heard gunshots. When it was safe, I found 10 bodies in the village square,” he said. “They were piled together, some with broken limbs.” Among the dead was a 55-year-old woman who confronted the soldiers, accusing them of abuse. “They dragged her to where the men were gathered and shot her,” her 21-year-old daughter recalled. The attackers also stole over 100 cattle from the community.
Local authorities later claimed the operation “neutralized” 20 terrorists, but residents dismissed this as a fabrication. “There were no clashes here,” a villager insisted. “The GSIM left days before the attack. These were deliberate killings.“
Calls for accountability amid escalating violence
These massacres followed a surge in GSIM attacks on state targets, including a raid on the Siribala sugar factory in August. The violence has worsened since September, when the group began besieging Bamako, cutting off fuel supplies and forcing the military junta to shutter schools and universities nationwide.
International humanitarian law prohibits attacks on civilians, summary executions, and torture. Yet, both Malian forces and armed groups have repeatedly violated these norms. Despite Mali’s withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC) in September 2023, the country remains subject to ICC jurisdiction until 2026. The ICC opened an investigation into alleged war crimes in Mali in 2013, but prosecutions have been scarce.
Human rights advocates urge the African Union’s Peace and Security Council to prioritize Mali, condemning the lack of concrete action amid the crisis. “The AU must move beyond statements of concern,” said a regional analyst. “Diplomatic pressure, coordinated regional responses, and robust accountability mechanisms are long overdue.“
The Ségou massacres underscore the urgent need for an impartial investigation into the army’s and militias’ actions. Until justice is served, civilians in central Mali remain trapped between warring factions, with no end to the bloodshed in sight.
