France, Oct. 19 -- "The Malian military, armed groups and insurgent forces are committing grave laws-of-war violations while international organisations and governments largely stand by," the rights watchdog said in a new report published Monday.

It urged the African Union's Peace and Security Council to "urgently take action to prevent further atrocities" in the west African country.

Mali has been plagued since 2012 by a security crisis pitting the army and its Russian allies against jihadist fighters, Tuareg separatist groups and criminal gangs.

The junta that has ruled Mali since back-to-back coups in 2020 and 2021 has turned to Russia for support, enlisting the services of paramilitaries from the Wagner Group, which became the Afri...