Bamako, Jun 27 (AP) The United Nations mission in Mali says soldiers who are part of a regional counterterrorism force "summarily and/or arbitrarily" executed 12 civilians in retaliation for the death of a fellow soldier.

The UN mission said today that unknown attackers shot a Malian soldier on May 19 at the weekly Boulkessy cattle market. It said fellow soldiers from the Malian battalion of the G5 Sahel Joint Force retaliated, and civilians were killed.

The mission says it has given its investigative report to Mali's government.

The government has not yet responded.

The mission says it remains concerned about human rights violations in the central region where Islamic extremist groups operate, urging G5 Sahel and Malian forces to conduct military operations in accordance with international human rights law and to protect civilians. (AP) CK

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)