Citizen Watch Observatory for the Defense of Human Rights of the Azawad People, « Kal Akal Association »
REPORT N°01/AKA/2025
Period: Month of January
Date: February 3, 2025
Introduction:
The Kal Akal association is a local civil society organization dedicated to defending the human rights of the people of Azawad. It is a non-profit organization whose objectives include promoting education, preserving cultural heritage, fostering social cohesion and defending human rights.
Kal Akal’s head office is located in the Kidal region. The association’s information-gathering and documentation activities on human rights violations cover all the regions of Azawad and part of the center of the country, close to Azawad.
The association regularly documents and processes all human rights violations that take place in its field of action, through local relays and anonymous persons of good faith who report information to it, without distinction as to perpetrators or targets, and whatever the motive.
It has a database containing details, monthly reports and circumstantial dispatches.
The perpetrators of these formally identified violations are mainly members of the Malian armed forces and Russian mercenaries from the Wagner group. In view of the methods used, the means employed, the scale and frequency of the violations and, above all, the identity of the victims, everything points to a program of ethnic cleansing planned at the highest level of the State under the direction of the ruling junta.
In addition to the Malian Army and Russian mercenaries, jihadist groups are also implicated in human rights violations.
This monthly monitoring report takes stock of human rights violations committed in January in Azawad territory and in a part of central Mali closer to Azawad, where certain communities are targeted for their ethnicity against a backdrop of amalgam.
The violations committed this month included summary executions, arbitrary arrests, injuries caused by gunfire, destruction of grazing land, looting of goods and personal property belonging to civilians who were supposed to be protected and secured, and even of public infrastructure.
I. EXECUTIONS, ATTEMPTED EXECUTIONS, MASSACRES: 52 confirmed cases
In this report, only a few emblematic cases are reported. These are mainly deaths following summary executions by Famas-Wagner, massacres, booby traps and drone strikes.
Here are the details:
January 02, 2025:
A joint Famas-Wagner mission went to Inghasan n’Elwan, west of Gossi in the Timbuktu region. They arrested and executed two young men on the spot.
January 3, 2025:
A joint Famas-Wagner mission in the pay of the Bamako junta arrests and kills all the passengers (a dozen) of a Toyota Hilux transport vehicle belonging to Nalfou Ag Doulahi, at Tin Haba, west of Fatissouma (Mema).
The passengers were all killed and buried, while others were thrown into a well on the spot, including women, one of whom was pregnant, and a child under the age of 3.
Among the victims was a well-known humanitarian and his family, who were on leave to visit his mother in the refugee camp. The latter was on a mission in Central Africa.
After killing all the occupants, they also set fire to the vehicle.
January 4, 2025:
A Famas-Wagner patrol arrested 3 people in the Gargando region, whose bodies were found the next day not far from the locality.
January 9, 2025:
A joint Famas-Wagner patrol from Niafunke arrested Ibrahim AG takourou in his Toyota Pick UP with his son and driver in Bortel, west of Echal in the Goundam cercle. Two days after their arrest, Ibrahim’s body was found executed and decapitated.
The vehicle was filled with sheep, which he was to sell at the weekly Echal market to support his family.
January 11, 2025:
A patrol made up of Malian soldiers and their Russian mercenaries from Wagner arrested two people in Anefif in the Kidal region, including a Fulani herder who was executed on the spot and the other taken to the FAMA-Wagner camp in the same region.
A week later, his body was found lifeless
January 14, 2025:
A Malian army patrol and Wagner mercenaries stormed the commune of Inadjatfane in the Rharous cercle, Timbuktu region, arresting and executing a Fulani civilian on the spot.
The same mission also arrested and killed two brothers on their way to Fifo.
January 15, 2025:
A Malian army patrol and its Wagner mercenaries arrested and executed a dozen people in the localities of Karkadjane, Ebangue, Inkilla in Haoussa and on the road between Ber and Zarho.
January 18, 2025:
A patrol by the Famas duo and their Wagner mercenaries opened fire on a cyclist in the village of Tangara, killing him instantly. His identity remains unknown.
At the same time, another mission summarily executed six people at Intalacha in the Horo region, between Niafunké and Goundam, after an explosive device detonated in one of the vehicles in their convoy.
January 20, 2025:
Mercenaries from Famas and Wagner arrested four civilians and summarily executed one of them on the spot, in the Anafif area, Kidal region.
January 25, 2025:
A Famas-Wagner patrol arrested and executed a civilian at Alkite in the Kidal urban commune.
January 27, 2025:
A Malian army patrol and its Wagner mercenaries arrived in the village of Amassine, Kidal region, where they arrested and executed five defenseless civilians and another elderly person also executed by the same mission on the road to In Tabzaz.
II. ARRESTS/DISAPPTIONS/ENLEVEMENTS: 25 confirmed cases
A few cases caught our attention:
January 8, 2025:
A trader (selling fuel) was arrested by elements of Wagner in Timbuktu town and his fate remains unknown.
January 9, 2025:
A joint Famas-Wagner patrol from Niafunke arrested Ibrahim AG takourou in his Toyota Pick UP vehicle with his son and driver at Bortel, west of Echal in the Goundam cercle.
The vehicle was filled with sheep that he was to sell at the weekly market in Echel to support his family.
On the same day, they also arrested a mentally ill man on the back of a donkey and released Ibrahim’s driver (black Tamasheq).
January 14, 2025:
A Malian army patrol and Wagner mercenaries stormed the commune of Inadjatfane in the cercle of Rharous, Timbuktu region, arresting village chief Warinok Ag bahou, who was released two weeks later on payment of a ransom of ten million CFA francs.
On the same day, another mission to the Kidal region in Kanay arrested a civilian from the Arab community.
January 15, 2025:
A Malian army patrol and its Wagner mercenaries arrested and kidnapped two people along the road between Ber and Zarho, whose fate remains unknown.
On the same day, another Malian army patrol and Wagner mercenaries arrested Abou Ag Idriss in the Takalote commune in the Kidal region and searched tents. His fate remains unknown.
January 18, 2025:
A Malian army convoy, accompanied by mercenaries from the Wagner group, intercepted five travelers coming from BBM (Algeria) in the Tessalit area. They then transferred them to the FAMA-Wagner camp at Adjelhoc, in the Kidal region. Unfortunately, two bodies were later found dead.
January 20, 2025:
The Malian army and Wagner mercenaries arrested four civilians and executed one of them on the spot, in the Anafif area of the Kidal region. The fate of three others remains unknown.
January 25, 2025:
A joint patrol by the Malian army and Wagner auxiliaries arrested two people in Intechaq and Talabit in the commune of Adjelhoc, Kidal region.
The last person arrested in Talabit was the pharmacy manager.
January 26, 2025:
A Malian army patrol with their Wagner mercenaries arrested one person near the town of Adjelhok.
January 28, 2025:
A Malian army patrol and Wagner mercenaries caused chaos in the village of Intépozog. They arrested two people in the Inkin valley, between Task and In Tabzaz, in the Kidal region.
January 29, 2025:
Some Wagner and Famas elements burst into a house in Gao town and arrested three young people, two from the Idnane community and one Kounta, during the night. Their fate remains unknown
January 30, 2025:
A Famas mission and their Wagner mercenaries arrested a young teenager in Aguelhock in the Kidal region, aged around 14.
III. TORTURES/BLESSURES/MENACES: 10 confirmed cases
A few cases caught our attention:
January 9, 2025:
An elderly man was seriously injured in Ibdakhan after touching a gas cylinder booby-trapped by a Famas-Wagner mission when they passed through 3 weeks ago.
He succumbed to his injuries the following day.
January 14, 2025:
A joint Famas-Wagner patrol shot and seriously wounded a person 15 km from the town of Adjelhoc. He succumbed to his wounds shortly afterwards.
January 15, 2025:
A Malian army patrol and its Wagner mercenaries beat and tortured eight people in the commune of Zarho, some of whom are still in critical condition.
IV. DESTRUCTION/ PILLAGE/ THEFT AND OTHER MATERIAL DAMAGE: 30 confirmed cases
A few cases caught our attention:
January 02, 2025:
A joint Famas-Wagner mission went to Inghasan n’Elwan, located west of Gossi in the Timbuktu region. They looted and set fire to the market.
January 3, 2025:
A Malian drone strike was reported on a civilian vehicle belonging to Abdollahi dit Bagji north of Razelma, precisely in Tin kakaban, Timbuktu region.
January 4, 2025:
A Malian drone carried out strikes on 4 trucks from Algeria transporting goods and fuel to Zarho. The trucks were destroyed and damaged.
January 14, 2025
A joint Famas-Wagner patrol burned two civilian cars in Kanay, 60 km from Kidal.
January 15, 2025:
A Malian army patrol and its Wagner mercenaries looted and destroyed people’s property in the localities of Karkadjane, Ebangue, Inkilla in Haoussa and along the road between Ber and Zarho.
The same mission set fire to the Zarho market. This market is a central point for internal trade, with quantities of cereal products, meat/livestock, fuel, flour, sugar, potatoes, oils, dates, blankets, etc. It is frequented by hundreds of people.
It is frequented by hundreds of thousands of nomads and sedentary people who come by truck, 4×4 car, pinasse, camel, donkey, cart and on foot. Losses are estimated at over a billion FCFA.
On the same day, other strikes targeted two cars, a Toyota Land Cruiser and a Toyota Hilux. The latter belonged to a retired gendarme and former President of the Timbuktu cercle council).
The same mission also looted and set fire to stores and houses in Ebangue Imalane, with material losses estimated at over 100 million CFA francs according to witnesses.
January 16, 2025:
The Malian army and their Wagner mercenaries set fire to several civilian homes on the outskirts of Zarho, in the Timbuktu region, causing considerable material loss to local inhabitants.
January 19, 2025:
A convoy of transport trucks filled with civilian materials was set on fire by the EIGS at Aghoudoud in the Gossi zone, Timbuktu region.
January 20, 2025:
A patrol composed mainly of Wagner elements and a few Famas elements ransacked the water supply system in the village of Chamam and took its solar system to Ménaka. This has deprived the local population of access to drinking water.
January 25, 2025:
A joint patrol by the Malian army and Wagner’s auxiliaries destroyed everything in their path, in several localities in the commune of Adjelhoc, in the Kidal region.
They ransacked stores, houses, a Wifi and two motorcycles in Intechaq and Talabit.
They also ransacked and looted a pharmacy in Tahtist.
January 26, 2025:
A joint patrol by the Malian army and Wagner’s auxiliaries destroyed and burned houses and motorcycles in the Tadjmart area.
January 27, 2025:
A Malian army patrol and Wagner mercenaries arrived at the Intaykarene gold mine, in the commune of Intahaka, Gao region. They set fire to a large quantity of fuel belonging to the mine operators, and also ransacked and burned their hangars.
January 27, 2025:
A Malian army patrol and their Wagner mercenaries arrived in the village of Amassine and Intabzaz, in the Kidal region, where they set fire to houses and four stores.
January 28, 2025:
A Malian army patrol and Wagner mercenaries caused chaos in the village of Intépozog. They set fire to a Toyota type 45 vehicle belonging to a civilian in the Inkin valley, between Task and In tabzaz. They looted and set fire to goods belonging to women.
January 29, 2025:
Some Wagner and Famas elements broke into a house in Gao ville during the night. They seized two vehicles and a large sum of money, estimated by witnesses at over two hundred million CFA francs.
On the same day, the weekly market in the commune of Amasrakad in the cercle of Tin Aouker, Gao region, was targeted by elements of Daech (EIGS ), where they took three vehicles belonging to civilians and a truck loaded with foodstuffs,
V. Rape: 1 case confirmed:
January 3, 2025:
A joint Famas-Wagner mission in the pay of the Bamako junta arrested and killed all the passengers (around a dozen) in a Toyota Hilux transport vehicle belonging to Nalfou Ag Doulahi, at Tin Haba, west of Fatissouma (Mema).
These passengers were all killed and buried, others thrown into a well on the spot, including women, one of whom was pregnant, and a child under the age of 3.
Among the victims was a well-known humanitarian and his family, who were on leave to visit his mother in the refugee camp. The latter was on duty in Central Africa.
After killing all the occupants, they also burned the vehicle.
Two women among the passengers were raped before being executed and thrown into a well.
VI. ENVIRONMENT:
For several months now, we have been documenting a series of episodes in which the Russian mercenaries of the Wagner group and the Malian army have set fire to pastures, knowingly planned and executed.
What was initially seen by some as an accidental and temporary phenomenon has turned out to be a real event, intended and provoked by actors acting in the pay of the Malian junta. From the end of October to the present day, in the Kidal region (Amassine and Intabzaz), there is rarely a day goes by when we don’t receive information, supported by images and videos of the inhabitants extinguished and submerged in flames, from our local relays, showing horrific scenes of the express destruction of the environment by missions led by these mercenaries and the Malian army.
The latest scene dates back to January 27, 2025 in Amassine and Intabzaz (Kidal), where a vast expanse of pastureland stretches from Amassine to Intabzaz. In addition to destroying *the environment, these practices will have a decisive impact on livestock, an important part of the local economy, and will undoubtedly cause serious difficulties for the populations who practice and live from livestock farming, not without affecting them psychologically….is this the objective of General Assimi Goita’s junta? everything leads us to believe so!
January 27, 2025:
A Malian army patrol and their Wagner mercenaries arrived in the village of Amassine, in the Kidal region, where they set fire to the pastures.
Conclusion:
1. the Kal Akal association, true to its vocation of protecting and defending human rights, condemns the extrajudicial executions perpetrated by the Russian mercenaries of the Wagner group in the company of members of the Malian Armed Forces against peaceful populations.
2. The kal Akal association denounces the silence of the international community and human rights organizations in the face of a targeted campaign of ethnic cleansing, supported by certain powers and countries.
3. The Kal Akal association calls on the Turkish government to account for its responsibility in the massacre of indigenous civilians in their own homes through the provision of drones to the junta ruling Mali, and at the same time asks it to put an end to the sale of drones or any other form of military support to the junta in Mali to save innocent people.
4. The Kal Akal association appeals to neighboring countries, sub-regional organizations (ECOWAS) and regional organizations (AU), as well as the OIC, the EU, the UN, etc., to assume their role of protecting human rights, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the legal instruments that govern them.
5. The Kal Akal association appeals to all humanitarian organizations and States to provide aid and support to refugees and internally displaced persons in Azawad.
Some images of the crimes
1. a civilian wounded by the Fama-Wagner couple near the town of Adjelhoc, on 14/01/2025, who succumbed to his injuries later.
2 . A Toyota Hilux vehicle carrying around 15 civilians was set on fire by the Famas Wagner couple after executing all its passengers at Tin Haba in the Mema area, on 03/01/2025
3- A nomadic camp was set on fire by the Fama-Wagner couple on 16/01/2025, near Zarho/Timbuktu.
Associationaddresses :
1. facebook : https://cutt.ly/Fekd7aMb
2. blog : https://www.kal-akal.com/
3. Twitter :https://x.com/kalakal2012/
Aka : Association Kal Akal
Fama = Malian armed forces
Wagner = Russian mercenaries from the Wagner group
Hani = Unidentified armed men
