Civilian deaths in Mopti after alleged Africa Corps airstrike

Eight civilians, including three children, lost their lives in an airstrike in the central Malian village of Kyrnia on June 15, according to Human Rights Watch. The paramilitary group Africa Corps, operating under Russia’s Defense Ministry, is accused of carrying out the attack, which the organization describes as indiscriminate and targeting no identifiable military objective. The Malian and Russian governments have yet to respond to these allegations.

Human Rights Watch’s findings, detailed in a newly released report, indicate that a combat aircraft—identified by two Malian military sources as a Sukhoi Su-24—dropped at least two bombs on Kyrnia. The first detonated near the village chief’s home, killing his wife, two of his children, and another child. The second struck a nearby livestock market, resulting in the deaths of four men. After analyzing the attack’s circumstances, the organization concluded that the strikes lacked precision and likely targeted civilian areas.

Russia-backed Africa Corps claims counterterrorism operation

Africa Corps, which collaborates with Malian forces, shared aerial footage of a June 15 strike on Facebook and X, asserting it had targeted a gathering of “terrorist groups” in the Mopti region. Human Rights Watch geolocated the images to Kyrnia, but found no evidence that any members of the Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM)—an Al-Qaeda affiliate reportedly controlling the village for years—were killed. Residents interviewed by the organization confirmed three of the chief’s sons are affiliated with JNIM but were absent during the attack. They also noted that armed fighters were present in the village, primarily inside a mosque that remained untouched.

Human Rights Watch has urged Malian authorities to launch an investigation into the incident and determine accountability. The organization highlighted that military operations involving Malian troops and their Russian allies have faced repeated allegations of human rights violations. Data from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) recorded 918 civilian deaths in 2025 during operations attributed to Malian forces and their Russian partners. The United Nations and Amnesty International have previously called for investigations into potential war crimes linked to both JNIM and the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA).