Security Deteriorates in Azawad as Rights Group Reports Civilian Abuses Amid Ongoing

Bamako, April 12, 2026 - Azawad, March 2026 - The security and humanitarian situation in northern Mali’s Azawad region has sharply deteriorated, with civilians increasingly caught in escalating violence, according to the monthly report No. 03/AKA/2026 published by the Kal Akal Association.

The report documents a rise in abuses against civilians during March 2026, including executions, massacres, arbitrary arrests, and forced disappearances. It attributes some incidents to armed elements linked to the Islamic State group, while also citing operations conducted by joint patrols involving the Malian Armed Forces and Russian personnel from the Afrika Korps.

According to the findings, nine cases of executions and massacres were recorded, alongside three cases of arrests and disappearances, including detentions in the Timbuktu region and the disappearance of a shepherd near Kidal. One serious injury was also reported during a military operation involving the Malian Armed Forces, supported by Russian forces.

The report further highlights seven incidents of destruction and looting, including the burning of homes, destruction of water wells, confiscation of livestock, and damage to civilian property. These incidents, it notes, have severely affected already vulnerable rural and nomadic communities.

The Kal Akal Association strongly condemned the violence and called for an end to impunity, urging the international community to pay closer attention to the situation in Azawad. It also called for independent investigations and urgent measures to protect civilians.