Human Rights Watch Says Russia-Linked Airstrike Killed Eight Civilians in Mali

Human Rights Watch said on the date of 2026-07-31 that Russian government-controlled Africa Corps aircraft killed eight civilians in a June airstrike on a village in central Mali, according to an Associated Press report. The rights group said the dead included three children and that the attack took place on June 15 in Kyrnia village, in Mali’s Mopti region.

The group identified the aircraft as a Russian Sukhoi Su-24 and said it released two munitions on the village. One munition landed near the village chief’s home, killing his wife and three children, Human Rights Watch said. A second munition struck a nearby cattle market, killing four men.

The Associated Press reported that it could not independently verify Human Rights Watch’s claims. The AP account said Russia’s Defense Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Human Rights Watch said no fighters from JNIM, an Islamic militant group affiliated with al-Qaida, were reported among those killed. The group said JNIM has controlled Kyrnia for six years. Researchers also said about 100 JNIM fighters were present in the village at the time, but were mainly assembled in another area. Human Rights Watch said the strikes did not appear to be directed at a clear military objective.

The rights group said its findings were based on interviews with 19 people, satellite imagery analysis, and review of a video posted online by Africa Corps. According to the AP report, Africa Corps described the June strike in that video as an operation against a “terrorist” gathering.

Human Rights Watch called on Mali’s government to investigate the strike and ensure accountability for those responsible. The group said that without such steps, the government could be complicit in war crimes.

Mali has faced more than a decade of conflict involving militants linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group, including JNIM, as well as a Tuareg separatist rebellion in the north. The AP reported that violence had increased in recent months after an alliance of JNIM and Tuareg separatists mounted the largest coordinated attack in more than 10 years, targeting Bamako’s airport, the nearby garrison town of Kati, and several cities in northern and central Mali.

The country’s military-led government has moved away from former partners, including France, while deepening security ties with Russia. Russian mercenaries have been in Mali since late 2021 to assist the junta against militants and separatists. The AP reported that Africa Corps, which reports to Russia’s Defense Ministry, replaced the Wagner Group in Mali last year.

The allegations add to scrutiny of Mali’s counterinsurgency strategy and its reliance on Russian-linked forces. Human Rights Watch’s account, while not independently confirmed by the AP, presents a detailed allegation that civilians were killed during an operation Africa Corps portrayed as targeting militants.