Human Rights Watch detailed that two Malian military sources identified the aircraft involved as a Sukhoi Su-24, which reportedly released at least two bombs on Kyrnia. The first struck near the home of the village chief, killing his wife, two of his children, and another young resident. The second bomb landed in a nearby livestock market, claiming the lives of four men. After analyzing the attack’s pattern, the organization concluded that the strikes lacked precision targeting, classifying them as indiscriminate attacks.

Africa Corps claims strike targeted militants

Africa Corps, operating under Russia’s Defense Ministry and deployed alongside Mali’s military, shared aerial footage on social media showing a strike it claimed targeted a gathering of “terrorist groups” in Mopti on the same day. Human Rights Watch geolocated the footage to Kyrnia, noting that no members of Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM)—an Al-Qaeda affiliate controlling the area—were reported killed in the strike. Locals told HRW that three of the village chief’s sons are affiliated with JNIM but were absent during the attack. They also mentioned armed fighters present in the village, primarily at a mosque that remained untouched.

Human Rights Watch has urged Malian authorities to launch an investigation into the incident and determine accountability. The organization emphasized that joint operations by Malian forces and their Russian allies have frequently faced accusations of human rights violations. According to Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED), 918 civilians were killed in 2025 during operations linked to Mali’s military and its Russian partners. Meanwhile, the United Nations and Amnesty International have previously called for probes into alleged war crimes by JNIM and the Front de Libération de l’Azawad (FLA).