Page:Seventh Report - Guns for gold- the Wagner Network exposed.pdf/24

 to the death of 500 people over five days in the rural town of Moura. Corinne Dufka, Sahel director at Human Rights Watch, called this the “worst [atrocity] in Mali in a decade”. UK Government officials directly linked the arrival of Wagner fighters to Mali’s deteriorating human rights situation in early 2022.

In CAR and Mali, Wagner fighters are documented as having targeted civilians at a significantly higher rate than both state forces and major insurgent or terrorist groups in those countries. The destabilising effects of Wagner engagement have been underlined by the United States and European Union. The UK Government stated that Wagner fighters [emphasis added]:

"…undermine security and do not offer any kind of credible long-term approach […] Wagner has also interfered in African politics by protecting and supporting military regimes and weakening democratic processes […] The deployment of proxy military forces such as Wagner undermines international law and […] The Wagner Group is a driver of conflict and capitalises on instability for its own interests [...] Wagner has committed human rights abuses, undermined the work of international peacekeepers, and sought control of mineral resources, to the detriment of local citizens and their economy."

19. Dr Sorcha MacLeod, Chair of the UN Working Group on the Use of Mercenaries, told us it is “almost impossible” to hold “mercenaries and mercenary-type actors” to account for their crimes. Wagner deployments foster a “context of impunity”. This is because: