Women and Girls in Mali Face Assault While Fleeing Violence

In early June, Kani and a group of ten others fleeing violence in northeastern Mali encountered a harrowing experience at a checkpoint in Labbezanga, near the Niger border. Kani recounted to Al Jazeera that armed men, suspected to be Malian soldiers, took turns raping the women at gunpoint while the men in their group were forced to lie on the ground. The traumatic ordeal left the women screaming for mercy, highlighting the brutal conditions faced by refugees attempting to escape conflict. The journey to safety in Niger has proven perilous for many, as Kani and her companion Coumba revealed that they were coerced into sexual acts by their captors, who insisted that compliance was the only way to cross the border. This pattern of abuse is not isolated; a week later, Heita, a 45-year-old woman, reported a similar experience at the same checkpoint, where she and two others were raped by men in military uniforms. Heita described the violence they faced, stating that they were beaten into submission when they initially resisted. The accounts of these women underscore a disturbing trend of sexual violence against refugees in the region. Heita also shared that while she herself was not assaulted by Russian paramilitaries in her hometown, she had heard from others about similar abuses, indicating a broader climate of fear and violence affecting women in conflict zones. As the situation continues to unfold, the plight of these refugees raises urgent questions about safety and protection for vulnerable populations fleeing violence in Mali.