The UN’s peacekeeping force in Mali has condemned amputations on civilians carried out by suspected jihadists in the north-eastern region of Gao.
At least three civilians had their hands and feet cut off on 2 May after they were captured by suspected Islamic State (IS) group jihadists.
Read Also: My story, by Iniubong Umoren’s killer
“I strongly condemn these despicable acts. Such corporal punishment carried out by armed groups outside any legal framework is a serious violation of human rights, including the right of every human being to a fair and equitable trial before a regularly constituted tribunal,” El-Ghassim Wane, the head of the UN peacekeeping force, known by its French acronym Minusma, said in a statement posted on Twitter.
The amputations were a reminder of the horrors that marked the 2012 crisis – when the region was overrun by Islamist and Tuareg rebels following a coup and imposed Sharia, Minusma said.
The “cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment” was not acceptable, it said, adding that peacekeepers were working with the Malian authorities to address the problem.
