Tonka massacre
| Tonka massacre | |
|---|---|
| Part of Mali War, Russian intervention in Mali war | |
| Location | Tonka, Tombouctou Region, Mali |
| Date | November 12, 2023 |
| Target | Tuareg civilians |
| Deaths | 70+ |
| Perpetrator |  Malian Armed Forces Wagner Group |
On November 12, 2023, soldiers from the Malian Armed Forces and the Wagner Group killed over 70 civilians near the village of Tonka, Tombouctou Region, Mali.
Background
[edit]In late 2023, the Malian government and it's ally the Russian paramilitary Wagner Group launched an offensive to capture Kidal, then held by Tuareg separatists.[1] The Malian-Wagner forces would execute Tuareg civilians in remote desert towns after engaging in battle with rebels, leading to the Ersane massacre in late October.[2][3] On the day before the massacre at Tonka, civilians were executed in the towns of Lossodji and Tindirma.[3]
Massacre
[edit]After entering Tonka on November 12, Malian-Wagner forces rounded up dozens of civilians in the town while the weekly market was going on.[4][5] The civilians were executed by the soldiers, according to the victims' relatives, and thrown into two mass graves in the Tingomoro wadi between Tonka and Goundam.[4] At least 70 civilians were killed in the massacre, although International Crisis Group said several dozen were killed.[5][4]
The CSP-PSD condemned the massacre and accused the Malian-Wagner forces of responsibility. The latter did not respond to the accusations.[4]
References
[edit]- ↑ "Le retrait de la Minusma handicapé par les tensions dans le nord du Mali". RFI (in French). 2023-10-15. Retrieved 2024-05-29.
- ↑ "L'armée malienne, toujours à l'offensive vers la région de Kidal, précise ses objectifs". RFI (in French). 2023-10-06. Retrieved 2024-05-29.
- 1 2 "Au Mali, la Minusma quitte son camp d'Aguelhok et pense à Kidal - Jeune Afrique.com". JeuneAfrique.com (in French). Retrieved 2024-05-29.
- 1 2 3 4 Ag Azawad (November 18, 2023). "Tombouctou : plus de 70 civils exécutés par le Couple FAMA/Wagner à Tonka". Imanghadien. Archived from the original on January 16, 2024. Retrieved October 20, 2026.
- 1 2 "CrisisWatch 2023: November Trends and December Alerts" (PDF). International Crisis Group. December 2023. Retrieved October 20, 2026.
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