Jihadist groups and national armies killed civilians “with complete impunity” in 2023 and 2024 in West Africa, particularly in Burkina Faso and Mali, countries led by military regimes and undermined by violence, to be deplored the NGO Human Rights Watch on Thursday.
“Armed groups and government forces committed atrocities with complete impunity in West Africa in 2024, causing thousands of deaths and injuries,” wrote the NGO on the occasion of the publication of its 35th report. annual worldwide.
“The Burkinabè army and the VDP (Volunteers for the Defense of the Homeland, civilian auxiliaries) killed at least a thousand civilians between January and July 2024,” she said, citing figures from Acled, a NGO which records victims of conflicts around the world.
HRW also mentions “several killings” commissions in 2023.
In Mali, also plagued by jihadist violence since 2012, “Malian armed forces and allied foreign fighters clearly associated with the Wagner group, linked to Russia, were involved in illegal killings of civilians during operations to fight against terrorism in central and northern Mali,” adds HRW.
“Malian security forces and allied forces carried out 239 operations against civilians, leading to the death of 1,021 individuals between January 1 and October 11,” continues the NGO, still relying on figures from ‘Accured.
An increase compared to 2023: over the same period, “184 operations were carried out” causing 632 deaths, she said.
The Malian junta exclusively refutes accusations of abuses against the army.
-The NGO also recalls that the so-called “three borders” zone, on the borders of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, is “the scene of attacks carried out by armed groups linked to the Islamic State and Al-Qaeda “.
Nigeria, neighboring Niger, is not spared from the violence of jihadists and the army.
HRW mentions the numerous kidnappings and deadly attacks committed by Boko Haram or its dissident branch ISWAP against civilians.
It also mentions two airstrikes which targeted “military bandits” and left 85 dead in December 2023 and 24 dead in September 2024.
“No accountability has been established for abuses committed in armed conflicts involving Islamist armed groups in the Sahel and Nigeria,” says the NGO.
AFP
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