Mali: Amnesty dénonce des "crimes de guerre" après l'exécution de soldats "hors de combat"
The NGO Amnesty International has called for an investigation into "war crimes" after analyzing images showing the execution of Malian army soldiers who were out of action after their convoy was ambushed, according to a statement released Wednesday.
On July 18, at least 50 soldiers died in northern Mali at Tabrichat when the army convoy was attacked by the coalition of jihadists from JNIM, affiliated with Al Qaeda, and Tuareg separatists from the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA).
This is one of the deadliest attacks suffered by the army since the start of the conflict in Mali.
Amnesty analyzed 12 videos which show, among other things, Malian soldiers "with their hands behind their heads in a clear sign of surrender", or in another "a group of men on the ground and five armed men shooting at them".
These images also show "armed men mistreating prisoners, roughing them up and beating them".
"We call on the Malian authorities to conduct an independent and impartial investigation into these war crimes committed by the FLA and JNIM, who claimed responsibility for the attack," Amnesty said in a statement.
"It is clear that the soldiers were out of action before being subjected to ill-treatment and executed," said Ousmane Diallo, senior Sahel researcher at Amnesty International's Regional Office, quoted in the statement.
"Anyone who is not in combat, including soldiers taken prisoner or who have surrendered, must benefit from the protection provided by international humanitarian law. This evidence of war crimes is irrefutable," the researcher continued.
On July 23, the United Nations had already demanded an investigation into "acts of torture and murders" committed during the same attack.
The convoy, which was leaving the city of Anefis, the scene in previous weeks of fierce fighting for its control, had set out to reach the large northern city of Gao when it fell into an ambush.
The attack was claimed by JNIM and the FLA.
Mali has been gripped by a deep security crisis since 2012, fueled in particular by violence perpetrated by groups affiliated with the jihadist organizations Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, as well as by community-based criminal groups and Tuareg separatist movements. This is compounded by a severe economic crisis.
Since two successive coups in 2020 and 2021, the country has been led by military men who came to power on the promise of restoring security and preserving its territorial integrity.
Commentaires (8)
Mais c'est vraiment illusoire de demander à l'état malien d'enquêter. Il n'a pas la capacité de le faire sur les crimes des rebelles, et n'a pas la volonté de le faire sur les crimes de l'armée.
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