Mali to probe mass graves
Mali’s defence minister admitted on Tuesday that soldiers were involved in killings in the country’s unstable centre, after the discovery of mass graves backed up accusations of summary executions by government troops.
An NGO called Kisal, which campaigns for the rights of pastoral communities, said on Monday 25 bodies had been found in three mass graves.
It said 25 people from the Fulani ethnic group, who are mainly herders, had been picked up last week by the army in the localities of Kobaka and Nantaka.
“The inspection mission sent to the area confirms the existence of mass graves implicating some armed forces personnel in serious violations causing the deaths of men in Nantaka and Kobaka,” Defence Minister Tiena Coulibaly said.
Coulibaly ordered military prosecutors to launch an urgent investigation.
He said the authorities were firmly resolved to fight impunity and get the country’s soldiers to strictly observe international rights and humanitarian conventions.
President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita said the defence minister had sent a mission to the site.
“We will assume the consequences of the outcome of the survey.
“We are not rebuilding our armed forces to make it an army that is ignorant of human rights in conflict.
“It would be a huge step backwards, God forbid,” he told a delegation from human rights organisations in Bamako on Tuesday evening.