[JURIST] The UN expressed concern [report] Thursday about human rights abuses in Mali despite the Malian government signing a peace agreement [text, PDF] in 2015 with several armed groups.

The UN monitored the situation in Mali from January 2015 to June 2017, finding 600 cases of human rights abuses, plus 800 more involving “unidentified armed elements.” Around 2,700 victims were affected by the violence.

According to the report, the human rights abuses included “illegal detentions, torture and ill-treatment, extrajudicial executions, enforced disappearances, the recruitment of child soldiers, and sexual violence,” along with a failure to investigate human rights abuses. Most of the violations were committed by armed groups who signed the peace treaty or the Malian government. Other perpetrators included non-signatory parties to the Peace Agreement, a branch of Al Qaida, international forces, unidentified groups, and other splinter groups.

The report did note improvements in transitional justice, such as the formation of the Truth, Justice, and Reconciliation Commission.

Last April a UN official called [JURIST report] the security situation in Mali “alarming” due to an increase in terrorism.