Malian armed forces, the Russia-backed Wagner Group and jihadi groups deliberately killed civilians and burned homes in Mali according to Human Rights Watch.
Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso have severed ties from a key West African bloc. Four things you need to know about what the break means for a region destabilized by coups and rising jihadist violence.
Facing a pandemic lockdown, huge political upheavals and ongoing uncertainty about the future, musicians including Oumou Sangare and Songhoy Blues offer lessons in creativity and optimism.