The Wagner Group is not only active in Ukraine. Russian mercenaries deployed in Mali “have taken part in military operations, terrorized villagers, executed civilians, stolen property, including livestock and jewellery, and raped women and girls”. This comes from a statement released at the end of a 10-day visit by Alioune Tine, UN expert on the human rights situation in Mali. In short, he accuses Wagner of “terrorizing” the local population.
For their part, the Malian authorities only recognize the presence of “military trainers” deployed to train the Malian security forces on how to use military equipment acquired from Russia, recalled Alioune Tine, who is commissioned by the Human Rights Council but does not speak on behalf of the UN.
“However, I would like to emphasize, as I have done in previous reports, that I have received information from credible sources that Russian military and security personnel are indeed engaged in combat operations and committing serious human rights violations and abuses,” the expert said.
United Nations Human Rights Director expelled in Mali
According to him, the Malian authorities he met during that visit have pledged to investigate allegations of abuses against Russian military and security personnel. Beyond Wagner’s question, the UN expert urged Mali, which has been led by putschist soldiers since August 2020, to a restoration of elected civilian power in light of the promised transition.
“My mission took place in a tense context characterized by the continuous shrinking of civil society space, attacks on human rights defenders and civil society by state and non-state actors,” he lamented. “For the first time, my assistant and I were stopped and interrogated by police officers upon our arrival at Bamako Airport,” he said.
His arrival in Mali on 5 February also coincided with the authorities’ decision to expel Guillaume Ngefa, Director of the Human Rights Department of the United Nations Mission in Mali (Minusma).