A detailed investigation has documented severe abuses by Malian government forces, their russian allies from Africa Corps, and islamist insurgents since a major military shift in april 2026. Beyond the human toll, the report highlights a deliberate strategy of economic strangulation pushing civilians into extreme hardship.
Violence spikes after the fall of Kidal
Spring 2026 marked a critical turning point in Mali’s crisis. On 25 april, a joint operation by jihadists from the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (Jnim) and separatists of the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) resulted in the capture of Kidal and the killing of defence minister Sadio Camara. This defeat triggered a massive counter-offensive by the central government. The Malian Armed Forces (FAMa), backed by russian Africa Corps instructors, immediately launched a high-intensity campaign. While authorities keep the human cost secret, documented cases show at least 13 civilians killed and 25 wounded during the initial clashes in Gao and Kidal.
The fuel war: economy as a target
On the ground, Jnim shifted toward economic terrorism. To pressure Bamako, Al-Qaeda-linked networks impose strict road blockades to cut logistics lifelines. Commercial transport is the first casualty. Between 6 and 21 may, over 40 civilian vehicles heading to the capital were intercepted and burned. More structurally, the systematic targeting of fuel tankers since september 2025 has killed drivers and paralysed distribution networks. This logistical stranglehold deprives entire regions of electricity and fuel, forcing school closures and halting local markets. Jnim also uses targeted terror, such as the public execution of a resident in Tonka, Tombouctou area, to discourage resistance.
- Jnim tactics: road blockades → energy shortages & inflation
- FAMa/Russia response: indiscriminate drone strikes → displacement & civilian deaths
Civilians targeted by the Bamako-Moscow alliance
Meanwhile, FAMa and Africa Corps operations cause heavy civilian casualties. The investigation denounces systematic abuses during security sweeps in central Mali, where Peul communities are wrongly associated with rebel movements. Between 14 and 17 may alone, documentation identified 38 civilians killed during ground incursions, including 23 minors. Additionally, drone strikes with advanced technology have tragic consequences:
- Guimbé (25 april): an airstrike kills 12 children and teenagers.
- Téné (17 may): a strike hits a wedding ceremony, leaving 10 civilians dead.
Justifications and lack of dialogue
When asked about targeting legitimacy and the strangulation of transport infrastructure, Jnim commanders told investigators that civilians who were targeted refused to comply with the group’s rules in areas under its control. On the Malian state side, the justice ministry remained silent, leaving requests for clarification unanswered.
Call for an international investigation
These flagrant violations of international humanitarian law, which strictly prohibits indiscriminate attacks on non-combatants, face impunity as the main barrier to peace. Ilaria Allegrozzi, a Sahel specialist, warns that this lack of accountability fuels Mali’s tragedy. With the UN mission gone, the country sinks into arbitrariness. The investigation urges the African Union and United Nations to urgently sponsor a fact-finding mission to collect evidence for future prosecutions.
