Nia-Ouro, a village near Sofara, in the Mopti region of central Mali, has been at the heart of an anti-terrorist operation by the Malian army since Sunday. Operation for which the Malian soldiers are accompanied by their Russian auxiliaries and traditional dozo hunters. The many local sources contacted by RFI have reported cases of sexual assault and even rape. This Thursday, the village remains occupied by the Malian soldiers.
They come and go in the village, so their number varies, but the Malian soldiers, their Russian auxiliaries and the traditional dozo hunters who accompany them maintain a permanent presence in Nia-Ouro. Some sources even speak of temporary army base “.
But the inhabitants have almost all left the village. The men had fled before the Fama arrived on Sunday morning. After some of them were forced by the Russian army auxiliaries to undress, sexually assaulted, even raped, the women in turn left to take shelter, with their children, in neighboring villages. or in the surrounding fields and forests. After a time of wandering and emergency, many inhabitants of Nia-Ouro finally found refuge in Sofara.
Carts and pickups
According to the testimonies, no death would be to be deplored. On the other hand, the looting was massive: the traditional dozo hunters brought in carts and pickups to take away everything they could: livestock, cereals, furniture, motorbikes. The jewels and the gold having already been stolen by the Russian auxiliaries of the army. The dozo hunters also reportedly threatened to set fire to the village, without taking action.
On Tuesday evening, the Malian army confirmed in a press release that it was carrying out search operations in the sector, having made it possible to neutralize two “ terrorists and arrest several suspects. According to local sources, some have been released, but most are still believed to be detained. The army, which claims to act ” with professionalism in the area “, claims to have precise information on the presence of jihadist fighters.
The Sofara sector has for several years been the target of deadly attacks by the Katiba Macina of the Support Group for Islam and Muslims (Jnim) linked to AQIM. Attacks that arouse the disarray of the populations.
Nia-Ouro would thus be considered by the army as a jihadist landmark. Despite RFI’s requests, neither the Malian army nor the Malian Ministry of Defense have wished to provide additional details since Tuesday evening’s press release. In this press release, the Malian army also denounced “ the propaganda, brainwashing and disinformation of terrorists and their accomplices cornered in their entrenchments “.
Minusma prevented
From a UN source, the Minusma has already opened an investigation into the allegations of abuses committed in Nia-Ouro, but it comes up against the refusal of the authorities to let it go to the scene. Since the beginning of the year, allegations of abuses against the Malian army and its auxiliaries have multiplied. The Malian authorities systematically announce the opening of investigations, but just as systematically refuse the UN mission the possibility of accessing the sites concerned.
►Also read: In Mali, the army and its auxiliaries accused of rape and looting in Nia-Ouro