Africa Corps kills Mali civilians in airstrike

On June 15, an airstrike on the village of Kyrnia in Mali's Mopti region killed eight civilians, including three children, according to Human Rights Watch. The strike was carried out by Afrika Korps, a Russian paramilitary group established by Russia's defence ministry that has largely taken over Wagner Group's activities in Africa. Human Rights Watch described the strikes as 'unlawfully indiscriminate' and said they did not appear to target specific military objectives. Afrika Korps posted aerial footage of the strike, which Human Rights Watch geolocated to Kyrnia. The group said it had attacked a 'gathering place of terrorist groups.' No fighters from Jama at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), which reportedly controls the village, were believed to have been killed. The incident highlights ongoing allegations of rights abuses by Malian forces and their Russian allies in the fight against Islamist insurgents. Human Rights Watch urged Mali's government to investigate and hold those responsible accountable.