UN investigating dozens of deaths in central Mali

The United Nations says it is investigating allegations that dozens of people were massacred in central Mali, as unrest continues to spread across the West African country.

Olivier Salgado, spokesperson of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) made the remarks on Friday, a day after a video circulating on social media showed dozens of badly-burned bodies with their eyes blindfolded in the flashpoint town of Diabaly, where extremist militants are battling Malian soldiers.

An official in central Mali, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Reuters that the video shows the bodies of 35 men that were found on Tuesday night in Diabaly, adding that there were no eyewitnesses to the men's deaths but that they are believed to be people who were arrested by the Malian army, some on February 20 and others on March 1.

A senior Malian military officer, who also spoke on condition of anonymity, said the video was filmed in Diabaly but that the circumstances of the deaths were not yet clear.

Salgado noted that the human rights division of the UN peacekeeping mission in Mali is investigating the deaths, saying "We are concerned about these allegations and information, as well as these horrible images of people killed in circumstances that are not yet clear."

Mali's military spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.

The UN has repeatedly accused Malian soldiers of summarily executing civilians and suspected militants over the course of their decade-long fight against groups linked to al-Qaeda and Daesh.

The military has in some cases acknowledged that its forces were implicated in executions and other abuses, but few soldiers have faced criminal charges.

The latest development comes as relations between France and Mali have deteriorated since the ruling military took power in August 2020.

SS