Mali: Ethnic conflict and killings of civilians

Northern Mali has seen an escalation of ethnic violence in recent months. Attacks and killings by political armed bands, mostly from the minority Tuareg and Moorish community, have been followed by reprisals against civilians from these ethnic groups by the armed forces, who are predominantly from the majority black population. Revenge killings by both sides have increased and a vigilante group has also killed civilians. In the worst incidents, at least 50 people, mostly Moors, were killed by soldiers in Timbuktu and surrounding areas in June 1994 and on 25 July a Moorish armed group shot dead at least 40 civilians in the village of Bamba. AI is calling on both sides to put an immediate end to such killings.

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