{"id":25747,"date":"2022-04-11T13:21:23","date_gmt":"2022-04-11T13:21:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africannewspaper.net\/2022\/04\/11\/mali-minusma-opens-investigation-into-allegations-of-human-rights-violations-in-moura\/"},"modified":"2022-04-11T13:21:43","modified_gmt":"2022-04-11T13:21:43","slug":"mali-minusma-opens-investigation-into-allegations-of-human-rights-violations-in-moura","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africannewspaper.net\/2022\/04\/11\/mali-minusma-opens-investigation-into-allegations-of-human-rights-violations-in-moura\/","title":{"rendered":"Mali: MINUSMA opens investigation into \u2018allegations of human rights violations\u2019 in Moura"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
The United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) announced last week that it had opened an investigation into \u201callegations of serious human rights violations\u201d during an anti-terrorist operation launched by Malian armed forces in the Moura region in central Mali.<\/p>\n
MINUSMA stated that it had opened an investigation under its human rights mandate since March 29 and that it was supporting fact-finding efforts.<\/p>\n
It stated that it was following established procedures since its deployment and has approached the authorities for air access to Moura. This is a location where MINUSMA had never carried out an operation and is extremely difficult to reach.<\/p>\n
MINUSMA reiterated \u201cits deep concern\u201d over allegations of serious violations of human rights and international humanitarian law during an anti-terrorist operation conducted from March 27 to 31 by the Malian Armed Forces in the village of Moura, Djenn\u00e9 Circle, in the center of the country.<\/p>\n
In this regard, the statement added, MINUSMA \u201cnoted the decision of the Malian authorities to open an investigation to establish the facts.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mali\u2019s military justice system announced last Wednesday that it was opening an investigation into the recent events in Moura, following allegations that civilians were being abused.<\/p>\n
Following \u201callegations of abuses committed against civilians [\u2026], investigations have been opened by the national gendarmerie at the instructions of the Ministry of Defense and Veterans Affairs in order to shed light on these allegations,\u201d the prosecutor of the Mopti military court said in a statement.<\/p>\n
The prosecutor will go to the site \u201cvery soon\u201d with investigators and a forensic doctor, the statement said.<\/p>\n
The Malian army announced on Friday that it had killed 203 terrorists and arrested 51 others following a large-scale air-land opportunity operation carried out from March 23 to 31 in the Moura area, 17 kilometers northeast of Kouakourou in the Djenr\u00e9 circle.<\/p>\n
The Malian military stated in a statement that the operation saw the seizure and destruction of large quantities weapons and ammunition. 200 motorcycles were also seized.<\/p>\n
Human Rights Watch (HRW), stated that 300 civilians were executed by Malian soldiers in March, in a central Malian village.<\/p>\n
These facts are \u201cthe worst episode of atrocities\u201d committed since the outbreak of violence in the country in 2012, the international rights watchdog said.<\/p>\n