GENEVA, April 30, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - UN experts on Wednesday demanded 
investigations into the alleged summary executions of dozens of people in 
Mali and the enforced disappearance of others, warning of possible war crimes 
and crimes against humanity.

The group of more than a dozen independent United Nations experts voiced 
outrage after the discovery last week of bodies near a Malian military camp 
days after the army and Russian mercenaries arrested dozens of civilians.

"We urge Malian authorities to conduct prompt, effective, thorough, 
independent, impartial and transparent investigations into these killings and 
enforced disappearances," the experts said in a statement.

"Those responsible for unlawful killings and enforced disappearances, whether 
by direct involvement or complicity, must be prosecuted."

Mali, ruled by a junta following coups in 2020 and 2021, has been grappling 
with widespread insecurity for more than a decade, largely fuelled by 
Islamist fighters linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group.

The country's military rulers have broken their long-standing alliance with 
former colonial ruler France and turned toward Russia.

The junta enlists the services of what it claims are Russian military 
instructors, but who -- according to a host of experts and observers -- are 
mercenaries from the private Russian company Wagner.

In Wednesday's statement, the 13 experts, including the UN special 
rapporteurs on the rights situation in Mali and on summary executions, 
stressed that unlawful killings could amount to war crimes.

Enforced disappearances may meanwhile constitute crimes against humanity if 
they are part of widespread or systematic attacks against civilians, they 
said.

On April 12, Malian army soldiers and Russian mercenaries arrested dozens of 
men at a market in Sebabougou, in the country's southwest, and took them to 
the Kawla military camp, two survivors who fled to Mauritania told AFP.

"According to unconfirmed reports, those arrested were tortured and 
interrogated about alleged links with 'terrorists' at the Kwala military 
camp," the expert statement said.

"Afterwards, military and security personnel recruited by the Wagner Group 
reportedly took the victims out of the camp and executed them."

While the exact death toll remained unclear, at least 65 people reportedly 
disappeared or went missing after being arrested in Sebabougou.

The independent experts, who are mandated by the UN Human Rights Council but 
do not speak on behalf of the United Nations, said they had received a list 
from credible sources purporting to show the names of 54 alleged male 
victims.

"We are deeply troubled by the apparent total impunity and lack of 
prosecution or prevention of these violations," the experts said.

"Under international law, military commanders and other superiors, including 
government officials, can be held criminally responsible for crimes committed 
by armed forces under their effective command and control."