Troops accused of killing jihadists

Fourteen suspected jihadists killed during an alleged escape attempt by Mali troops were ‘summarily executed’, community leaders have claimed. ‘This was in no way an escape attempt. Our sources are certain. These people were victims of summary executions,’ said Nouhoum Sarr, who represented the main association of Mali's Dogon community. A report on the News24 site notes that a Malian army statement last week said the 14 were killed on 6 April, a day after they were taken in for questioning. The Dogon community are routinely suspected of collusion with the armed group loyal to extremist cleric Amadou Koufa, who backs an Islamic state. As previously reported in Legalbrief Today, Amnesty International has called on the authorities to look into extra-judicial killings after six bodies were discovered in a mass grave.