Malian security forces have been accused of arresting and killing approximately 24 Fulani civilians in the central town of Diafarabe, a local activist told.
According to the activist, the victims were rounded up at a livestock market on Monday, transported by canoe to a remote island on the Niger River, and executed—some reportedly having their throats slit—before being buried in a mass grave.
The source, who is affiliated with Tabital Pulaaku, a group representing the Fulani community, asked to remain anonymous due to safety concerns.
Women from Diafarabe staged a rare public protest on Wednesday, demanding answers about the fate of the missing men.
“A survivor who managed to escape confirmed that they were killed,” the activist said, describing the violence as brutal and deliberate.
As of Thursday, Mali’s armed forces had not issued a statement in response to the allegations.
The incident adds to growing concerns about human rights abuses in Mali, where government forces have been battling armed groups amid rising ethnic tensions and insecurity across central and northern regions.