The Malian army and Russia’s African Corps used banned cluster munitions for the first time in the north of the country. The attacks targeted Oubder, near In-Gouzma, and Tadjmart, near Aguelhoc, last week.
These attacks followed major assaults on April 25 by the Tuareg (Toward the Liberation of Azawad) and JNIM jihadists, which resulted in the death of Mali’s defense minister and forced the withdrawal of forces from key northern cities.
Cluster bombs disperse hundreds of submunitions over wide areas, many of which fail to explode and act as long-lived landmines. More than 90 percent of the victims are civilians, especially children.
The Liberation Front of Azawad condemned the attacks, collected unexploded ordnance as evidence, and accused the armed forces of violating international humanitarian law.
Mali has ratified the Convention on Cluster Munitions, which prohibits their use. This escalation is drawing sharp criticism from human rights groups and could increase international pressure on Mali's military junta.