Minister Coveney statement on reports of civilian killings in Mali

"Ireland is deeply concerned by the shocking reports emerging of the alleged killing of large numbers of civilians, in the village of Moura in the Mopti region of central Mali, during a military operation conducted by the Malian Armed Forces, reportedly alongside members of the Wagner Group.

"Ireland offers its sincere condolences to the families of those killed. Allegations of civilian casualties must be investigated urgently, in a transparent and impartial manner, and those responsible for human rights violations and abuses must be held accountable, regardless of their affiliation or nationality.

"We call on the Malian transitional authorities to immediately grant unfettered, timely and safe access to MINUSMA so that it may conduct a full investigation into the incident, as it is mandated to do by the United Nations Security Council. Any findings of such an investigation must be made public and action taken to ensure the protection of civilians.

"These reports arrive within the context of a broader, significant deterioration in the security situation and an increase in allegations of human rights violations and abuses in Mali in recent weeks. The fight against terrorism in no way justifies the violation of human rights nor does it confer impunity on the perpetrators of atrocities."