# Mali conflict war-crimes investigations > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/mali-ambush-warcrimes-scrutiny > Updated: 2026-08-20T04:00:00.000Z. Sources: 39. Developments: 3. The July 18 ambush of a Malian convoy between Anefis and Gao, claimed by JNIM and the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA), left dozens dead and saw at least 19 surrendered soldiers executed. Amnesty International’s analysis of twelve videos showed the troops were disarmed, bound and shot with their hands raised, prompting Amnesty and the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to call for an independent, impartial probe of possible war crimes. The UN urged a thorough investigation after reports that insurgents and separatists killed and tortured surrendering soldiers, noting that the escalating violence threatens the stability of Mali’s military-led government. Human Rights Watch (HRW) has documented multiple incidents involving Russia-controlled Africa Corps. On 15 June, a Sukhoi Su-24 struck the village of Kyrnia in Mali’s Mopti region, killing eight civilians—including three children—and four men at a nearby cattle market. While Africa Corps claimed to have struck a “gathering place of terrorist groups,” geolocation confirmed the target was civilian. On 10 July, HRW accused Africa Corps and Malian soldiers of killing nine civilians, including four children, during an operation in the village of Bombori. Witnesses reported that Russian forces interrogated and beat residents in an ethnic Fulani neighborhood, resulting in six people being shot while fleeing and three others being executed, including one victim who was beheaded. HRW noted that the Malian military appeared to permit these actions and reaffirmed calls for impartial inquiries into potential violations of international humanitarian law by both Malian and Russian-linked forces. ## Claims - The airstrike killed eight civilians, including three children. (disputed by 21 sources) - The first strike hit near the village chief’s residence, killing his wife, two of his children and another child. (disputed by 21 sources) - Human Rights Watch alleges that Africa Corps troops killed nine civilians in Mali in the presence of Malian soldiers. (disputed by 10 sources) - The nine victims included four children. (disputed by 10 sources) - No fighters from Jama’at Nusrat al‑Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM) were killed in the attack. (corroborated by 21 sources) - The airstrike was carried out by the “African Corps”, a Russian‑controlled formation that replaced Wagner in Mali. (corroborated by 19 sources) - Human Rights Watch urged the Malian government to investigate the Kyrnia strike. (corroborated by 19 sources) - Human Rights Watch described the strikes as “unlawfully indiscriminate”. (corroborated by 18 sources) - The attack was carried out by a Sukhoi Su‑24 aircraft identified by two Malian military sources. (corroborated by 16 sources) ## Timeline ### 2026-08-20: Africa Corps accused of killing nine civilians in Mali Human Rights Watch alleges that Russian Africa Corps paramilitaries and Malian soldiers killed nine civilians, including four children, during an operation in Bombori, Mali, in July 2026. 10 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/africa-corps-accused-of-killing-nine-civilians-in-mali ### 2026-07-29: Kyrnia village airstrike kills eight civilians in Mali Human Rights Watch says Russia‑linked Africa Corps air‑struck Kyrnia village in Mali on 15 June, killing eight civilians – including three children – and calling the attack unlawfully indiscriminate. 30 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/amnesty-international-urges-war-crimes-probe-after-july-18-mali-ambush ### 2026-07-23: UN calls for probe of alleged torture and killing of Malian soldiers in northern ambush The UN human‑rights office demanded an independent probe after video showed insurgents killing and torturing surrendering Malian soldiers in an ambush near Anefis and Gao, with over 50 fighters reported dead. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/un-calls-for-probe-of-alleged-torture-and-killing-of-malian-soldiers-in-northern-ambush --- Cite as: Mali conflict war-crimes investigations. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/mali-ambush-warcrimes-scrutiny