HRW: Russia's Africa Corps Summarily Killed 9 Civilians, Including 4 Children, in Bombori Raid

Human Rights Watch reported on August 20, 2026 that more than 100 Russian government-controlled Africa Corps fighters, accompanied by four Malian soldiers acting mainly as interpreters, stormed the Fulani neighborhood of Bombori village, Mopti Region, on July 10 at approximately 5 a.m. using more than 60 motorbikes and 7 pickup trucks with mounted machine guns. Fighters dragged residents from their homes, rounded up at least 80 men and boys under a tree, beat them, and interrogated them about alleged ties to Islamist armed groups. Six civilians were shot while fleeing; three young men were separately detained and executed, one of them beheaded — bringing the confirmed toll to 9 killed, including 4 children. Africa Corps forces looted money and jewelry and burned at least 8 homes and 5 granaries, targeting only the Fulani area while leaving the neighboring Rimaïbé neighborhood untouched. HRW noted the Al-Qaeda-linked JNIM has controlled Bombori since 2017 and maintains a base about a kilometer away, but JNIM fighters had left the night before the raid. HRW senior Sahel researcher Ilaria Allegrozzi said 'the Malian junta appears to have given Russian Africa Corps forces a green light to kill civilians.' HRW sent investigative letters to the Russian and Malian defense ministries on August 4–5 but received no response before publication.