According to a newly released report, a combat aircraft—identified by Malian military sources as a Sukhoi Su-24—dropped at least two bombs on Kyrnia during the early hours of June 15. The first strike landed near the home of the village chief, killing his wife, two of his children, and another young resident. The second bomb struck a livestock market, where four men were killed. After analyzing the attack’s pattern, observers concluded the strikes appeared indiscriminate and failed to target any identifiable military objective.

Africa Corps claims strike targeted armed fighters

Africa Corps, which operates under Russia’s Ministry of Defence and collaborates with Malian forces, shared aerial footage on social media purporting to show a June 15 strike in the Mopti region. The group asserted the bombing targeted a gathering of ‘terrorist operatives.’ Human rights investigators matched the footage’s location to Kyrnia but noted no members of Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM)—an Al-Qaeda affiliate reportedly controlling the village for years—were killed in the raid.

Villagers interviewed by investigators stated that three of the chief’s sons belong to JNIM but were absent during the attack. They also confirmed armed fighters were present in the village, mainly gathered near a mosque that remained undamaged. Human rights advocates are urging Malian authorities to launch a transparent investigation and hold those responsible accountable. They point out that joint Malian-Russian military operations have faced repeated allegations of human rights violations.

Conflict monitoring data indicates that in 2025 alone, 918 civilians lost their lives in operations linked to Malian forces and their Russian allies. Meanwhile, international bodies such as the United Nations and Amnesty International have previously called for probes into potential war crimes attributed to both JNIM and the Front de libération de l’Azawad (FLA).