UN chief calls for accountability by Mali, military ‘partners’

Concerns about human rights violations by Mali’s military in its fight against jihadists have prompted the UN Secretary-General to call on the West African country’s “bilateral partners” to follow their international duties.

In a confidential report acquired by AFP on Thursday, Antonio Guterres warned the UN Security Council that Mali’s counter-terrorism measures had “disastrous effects for the civilian population,” while conceding “widespread strikes by extremists.”

“I emphasize the duty of the State to do everything in its power to promote accountability and ensure that its military operations, including those carried out with its bilateral partners, are carried out in accordance with its international obligations,” the UN chief said.

The term “bilateral partners” is believed to be an implicit reference to mercenaries allegedly deployed in the country by the Russian Wagner Group, reputedly close to the Kremlin.

“Some of the operations carried out by the national security forces to counter the violent activities of these extremist groups — apparently alongside foreign security personnel — have been the subject of allegations of serious human rights violations,” Guterres said.

The study explicitly mentions the killing of “at least 20 people” in the country’s Bandiagara region in late January, as well as civilian casualties due to a military airstrike in February.

His assessment is the first to be presented to the Security Council since the declaration in mid-February that French and European military missions supporting in Mali’s years-long war against a violent jihadist insurgency will be withdrawn.

The Malian government has denied hiring Wagner mercenaries, stating merely that Russian “instructors” were present as part of a bilateral cooperation pact signed with Moscow on Thursday, which saw two combat helicopters supplied.

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