In Mali, the army’s counter-terrorism operations continue, as do allegations of abuse. In recent weeks, a new modus operandi has emerged in the regions of Mopti and Bandiagara in particular: the massive theft of cattle. The Malian soldiers, the traditional dozo hunters who accompany them as well as the Russian auxiliaries of the Malian army, are implicated.
In the communes of Fakala, Sio, Pignari, Doucombo, Fatoma or even Sofara, for several weeks, many local sources have been warning of massive thefts of cattle by the Malian army and its auxiliaries: traditional dozo hunters and Russian fighters. The latter are simple trainers according to Bamako and Wagner Group mercenariesaccording to a large number of European, African or American countries.
The figures are difficult to cross-check with precision, but, according to these sources, the accumulation of thefts represents in any case several thousand cows, and no less sheep and goats.
Cattle theft is not new: whenever anti-terrorist operations by the Malian army are marred by accusations of abuses, such as mass executions, these allegations almost systematically include destruction and theft of jewellery, furniture , cereals or animals.
But it now appears that certain operations have in fact the main objective of stripping certain villages of their livestock. A vital resource for pastoral populations. Community representatives, associations and researchers, all Malians, wonder: is it a question of starving populations suspected of collusion with the jihadists? Or quite simply to pay, literally, on the animal by reselling the animals, alive or butchered, as indicated by certain testimonies?
At the end of October, the jihadists of Jnim, the support group for Islam and Muslims, linked to al-Qaeda, claimed in a press release to have recovered cattle stolen by the Fama and their Russian auxiliaries in Bogolo, near Bandiagara. The Malian army, which did not respond to RFI’s requests, indicates for its part in a press release having recovered 600 head of cattle last November 10 “ from the hands of terrorists in Somadougou, in the Mopti region. She specifies that she returned them to the inhabitants.