A/HRC/40/77 river and opened fire on the victim, who died on the spot. The Independent Expert was also informed of an incident on 16 April 2018 in which alleged members of the Group stormed the village of Saré-Seini, located west of the city of Mopti, and opened fire on a group of civilians (mainly young people) watching television, killing a 40-year-old man before fleeing in an unknown direction. According to local sources, the aim of the attack was probably to punish the group of young people for watching television in violation of the Group’s orders. In addition, the Independent Expert was informed of problems related to freedom of conscience and religion. He learned, for example, of the kidnapping of several marabouts who had not been preaching the strict interpretation of Islam supported by extremist groups. Kidnapping is another strategy that these armed groups use to terrorize the people. Persons suspected of collaborating with national or international defence forces are targeted. On 5 August 2018, for instance, suspected members of the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims reportedly kidnapped a 50-year-old Mandinka merchant while he was working at his stall in the village of Saba in Mopti Region. 36. As the Independent Expert noted in his previous report (A/HRC/37/78, para. 45), he is concerned by reports that members of armed groups violate the human rights of civilians while purporting to maintain security. On 6 April 2018, eight community leaders (living in areas in south-western Ménaka, on the border between Mali and the Niger) transmitted a statement to the Governor of Ménaka Region deploring the alleged human rights violations committed by the Mouvement populaire pour le salut de l’Azawad (Popular Movement for the Salvation of Azawad) and the Groupe d’autodéfense des Touaregs Imghad et leurs alliés (Imghad Tuareg Self-Defense Group and Allies) in connection with counter-terrorism activities. These violations include physical assaults on civilians, violations of their property rights and threats of forced displacement. 37. The Independent Expert has received reports of human rights violations attributed to armed groups that are signatories to the peace agreement in Gao, Ménaka and Timbuktu Regions. On 11 September 2018, two suspected members of the Groupe d’autodéfense des Touaregs Imghad et leurs alliés allegedly attacked a vehicle. They reportedly searched the passengers and, as one of them resisted, an assailant opened fire, killing a 60-year-old Arab woman. The passengers then managed to wrest the assailant’s weapon from him and kill him, leaving the second assailant to escape. According to reports, the Base Commander of the Groupe d’autodéfense des Touaregs Imghad et leurs alliés arrived on the scene and demanded the return of the weapon, but the passengers refused. The weapon was handed over to members of the Malian armed forces based in Bambara-Maoudé, who arrested the Base Commander that same day. On 11 September, six suspected members of the Groupe d’autodéfense des Touaregs Imghad et leurs alliés reportedly mistreated three Fulani civilians at the market in Wabaria, Gao Region. The assailants allegedly arrived at the market from a neighbouring commune and ordered the first victim to follow them out of town. When he refused, they beat him until two other civilians intervened. 38. The Independent Expert was informed that on 14 April 2018, extremists led a major attack on what is commonly referred to as the “super camp” of MINUSMA in Timbuktu, killing 1 member of the Mission and injuring 22 other people (8 civilians, 8 Mission personnel and 6 members of Operation Barkhane). Six civilians residing near the entrance to the airport were wounded, including four children (two of them seriously). In addition, two local traders were wounded near the Operation Barkhane camp and evacuated to the MINUSMA hospital. The attack caused considerable material damage to the camp, the MINUSMA hospital and the airport. On 27 October 2018, unidentified gunmen aboard 13 light trucks, 2 of which were loaded with explosives, attacked the MINUSMA camp in Ber, Timbuktu Region. Two peacekeepers were killed and five others wounded. Two children (a 10-year-old girl and a 15-year-old boy) were injured by stray bullets. B. Inter- and intracommunal conflict 39. The Independent Expert received a number of consistent reports, documented by human rights defenders, about incidents arising out of conflicts between different communities. Those defenders also reported that such incidents had increased in number over the course of 2018, particularly in Mopti and Ménaka Regions. The Independent GE.19-00939 9