Jan 5 (Reuters) Nine civilians including women and children were killed in an attack on a vehicle in Mali’s Segou region last week, a civil society group and a rebel coalition said late on Saturday, accusing the army and Russian mercenaries of being responsible.

Wagner fighters have been in Mali since the army seized power in two coups in 2020 and 2021 and kicked out French and U.N. troops. They have been supporting Malian forces in their battle with Islamist insurgents and the Tuareg separatists.

In December, Human Rights Watch said Mali’s armed forces, supported by Wagner, and Islamist armed groups had committed serious abuses against civilians in violation of the laws of the war.