Civilian Toll From Drone Strikes: HRW alleges Mali, Russia killed 94 civilians; strikes more than doubled

Mali's armed forces and their Russian allies have intensified drone strikes against insurgents, resulting in civilian deaths. Mali's armed forces and their Russian allies have carried out what human rights watch (HRW) described as “apparent indiscriminate” drone strikes, along with other abuses, during an intensified offensive against insurgents in recent months. The operations have killed dozens of civilians, the rights group said in a report released on Monday.According to the report, drone strikes and the resulting civilian deaths more than doubled between April and August compared with the same period last year, citing data from the armed conflict location and event data project (ACLED). The escalation came in response to nationwide attacks by the regional al-Qaeda affiliate Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) and Tuareg-led separatists.The insurgent offensive, launched on April 25, killed Mali's defence minister and targeted several towns and cities, as well as the main airport in the capital, Bamako. The attacks highlighted the government's continuing struggle to restore security in the landlocked west african nation, according to the Reuters.Military leaders, who sei...