The United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) reported in its note released Wednesday, March 22, that at least 1,277 civilians were killed in 2022, making it the deadliest year in the past decade.
Overall, at least 2,001 people were affected by violence in 2022. In addition to the 1,277 civilians killed, another 372 were abducted or missing and 352 were injured. Compared to 2021, the number of people killed increased by 54% (584 people killed in 2021 versus 1,277 in 2022). As for the number of kidnapped or missing persons, it has
decreased by 58% (744 in 2021). The number of casualties has also decreased by 25% (466 in 2021).
More specifically, MINUSMA reported 347 human rights violations and breaches of international humanitarian law (IHL) in the last quarter of 2022. However, these figures only reflect cases documented by the Mission and only represent civilian casualties that are protected from attack under international law.
These human rights violations and abuses and IHL violations documented by MINUSMA resulted in 174 civilian deaths. Another 827 were abducted or went missing and 91 were injured. Among the victims were eight
women and 26 children.
Compared to the second last quarter of 2022, the number of civilians killed recorded a decrease of 28% (243 civilians killed). The number of people abducted and reported missing is 55, representing an increase of 49 percent. The number of people wounded is 77, or an increase of 18 percent.
Also, of the total 347 human rights violations and abuses and violations of IHL, MINUSMA documented 222 human rights abuses by terrorist groups such as the ‘Etat Islamique au Grand Sahara’ (EIGS), the ‘Groupe de Soutien à l’Islam et aux Musulmans’ (GSIM), and other similar groups, representing 64 percent of all documented violations and abuses.
Militias and other armed community self-defense groups were responsible for 13 human rights abuses, representing 4 percent of all documented violations and abuses. Armed groups that are signatories to
the Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation in Mali were responsible for 22 human rights abuses, or 6 percent of all violations.
During the same period, MINUSMA recorded at least 90 human rights violations by the Malian Defense and Security Forces (FDSM), representing 26 percent of the total documented violence. The localities most affected by this situation were those in the center, such as the Bandiagara and Mopti regions. They are followed by those
in the northeast, such as Gao and Menaka, some of whose communities are part of the so-called “three borders” area, considered by the UN to be the epicenter of violence in the Sahel
MD/fss/abj/APA