Human Rights Watch, a New York-based organization, claims that there have been numerous homicides, rapes, and acts of looting in northeast Mali this year, prompting thousands of people to escape and seek safety.
Six attacks were reported in the Gao region and two in Menaka between January and June, according to a report released by the rights organization on Thursday. Unconfirmed claims from aid workers and eyewitness indicate that thousands of residents were forced to evacuate and hundreds were killed.
Numerous witnesses told authorities that the fighters rode motorbikes and pickup trucks, carried assault rifles and occasionally rocket-propelled grenade launchers, and wore recognizable turbans.