Moura: More than 500 killed by Malian soldiers, foreign military personnel in operation 2022

That is according to a fact-finding report from the UN human rights office (OHCHR) released on Friday, on what the Malian authorities have described as a military operation against terrorism against the al-Qaeda-linked group known as Katiba Macina.

UN rights chief Volker Türk called the findings “extremely disturbing” and stressed that “Collective killings, rape and torture during armed conflict are war crimes and can, depending on the circumstances, amount to crimes against humanity”.

Authorities block access

OHCHR said the Malian authorities had repeatedly refused requests by the group to gain access to the village of Moura itself. Witnesses interviewed by the group said they saw him “Armed white men” speaking an unknown language operating alongside the Malian forces.

At least 58 women and girls were raped or subjected to other forms of sexual violence.

In January, the United Nations Human Rights Commission appointed independent human rights experts called on the Malian authorities to launch an immediate investigation into the mass killings, alleging the participation of Russian-based Wagner mercenary group.

Experts say that a “An atmosphere of horror and total indifference” has surrounded private military contractor operations in Mali.

Mathematics

The UN rights chief stressed that those responsible for the crime should be held accountable, and that the Malian authorities must ensure that their own forces and foreign forces under their command, respect international law.

OHCHR said that according to witnesses, on the day of the killing, a military plane flew over Moura, exposing it to the people, while four other planes landed and the soldiers disembarked. The soldiers took people to the center of the city, and they shot dead those who tried to run away.

Some of the Katiba Macina terrorists in the crowd fired back at the soldiers and at least 20 civilians and a dozen alleged members of the military were killed.

Off for four days

Then, over the next four days, at least 500 people are believed to have been killed en masse, the report said. The fact-finding team has collected personal identification information, including the names of at least 238 of these victims, OHCHR said.

According to witnesses, Malian people were in and out of Moura daily, but the There are foreign workers for the duration of operation.

Malian authorities announced an investigation shortly after the attack, but more than a year later and pending the final outcome of the investigation, continue to deny wrongdoing by their forces.