Mali accuses UN of spying and rejects massacre report

Malian Prime Minister Choguel Maïga has rejected a UN report that accused the army and foreign forces of killing at least 500 civilians in the central village of Moura in March last year.

Mr Maïga said the report sought to tarnish the reputation of the security forces, state-owned television ORTM reported on Monday.

He said that no-one would make Malians doubt their army and its rising strength in recent months.

Mali has now ordered an “espionage” probe of the UN, whom it accused of being manipulated by the “French junta”.

Meanwhile, Mali’s High Authority of Communication (HAC) has condemned French television TV5 for its Africa editor’s remarks on the UN report, the privately-owned aBamako website reported.

The media regulator said Ousmane Ndiaye’s analysis was a “malicious indictment” against Mali, its army and authorities.

Mali’s junta suspended France 24 and RFI in March 2022 for reporting on alleged abuses by the army and Russian mercenaries in the country.

Earlier this month, Malian authorities announced that a much-delayed referendum on a draft constitution will be held in June.

A new constitution is one of the key steps put in place before the restoration of a civilian government, following the ousting of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta in 2020.