Around 100 people protested for a second consecutive day on Wednesday in a central Malian village, demanding information about approximately 30 civilians who were arrested by men in military uniforms, according to witnesses.
Local officials from the village of Diafarabe, who requested anonymity for security reasons, informed AFP that the arrests occurred on Monday.
“We marched to Diafarabe village hall to demand the truth about what has happened to our relatives,” said one participant in Wednesday’s protest.
Witnesses report that the detained individuals are primarily from the Fulani community, which is often accused of having ties to terrorist groups.
“Just because they are Fulani, it doesn’t mean they are necessarily terrorists,” stated an elected official.
A representative from a Fulani association estimated that 22 people are currently detained.
“But there are other civilians who have been abducted who are not on this list. What is happening is demoralising,” the representative added.
One demonstrator said that “contrary to what they (the army) claim, they are not here to protect us but to exterminate us.”
The Malian army and its mercenary allies frequently face accusations of committing abuses against civilians.
Two weeks ago, several bodies were discovered near a Malian military camp in the west, shortly after the army and mercenaries arrested dozens of civilians, most of whom were Fulani.
In February, local sources reported that around 20 civilians were killed in northern Mali when the army and mercenaries targeted their vehicles.
Since the military junta seized power in coups in 2020 and 2021, it has severed its ties with former colonial power France and aligned itself more closely with Russia as it grapples with over a decade of violent terrorism.
