Human Rights Watch’s latest report details how an aircraft, identified by two Malian military sources as a Sukhoi Su-24, dropped at least two bombs on Kyrnia. The first struck near the village chief’s residence, killing his wife, two of his children, and another young resident. A second bomb landed in a nearby livestock market, where four men were killed. After analysing the attack’s circumstances, HRW concludes that the strikes lacked precision and appear to have been indiscriminate.

Africa Corps claims strike targeted terrorists

Africa Corps, a paramilitary group operating under Russia’s Ministry of Defence and supporting Malian forces, shared aerial footage of the June 15 strike on Facebook and X. The group asserts it targeted a gathering of « terrorist groups » in Mopti. Human Rights Watch has since geolocated these images to Kyrnia. The organisation notes that no members of the Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM), an Al-Qaeda affiliate reportedly controlling the village for years, were killed in the attack.

Locals interviewed by HRW revealed that three of the village chief’s sons belong to JNIM but were absent during the strike. They also mentioned armed group members were present in the village, primarily gathered in a mosque that remained untouched. Human Rights Watch urges Malian authorities to launch an investigation and hold those responsible accountable. The organisation highlights that joint operations by Malian troops and Russian allies have frequently faced accusations of human rights violations.

Data from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) indicates that 918 civilians were killed in 2025 during operations linked to the Malian army and its Russian partners. Meanwhile, the United Nations and Amnesty International have previously called for probes into alleged war crimes attributed to JNIM and the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA).