A coalition of 20 African civil society organizations has called for an independent investigation following the discovery of six unidentified male bodies in a mass grave in Guinea’s Forecariah prefecture on August 24. The bodies were found bound and blindfolded by local residents in the village of Alassoya, prompting calls for a transparent inquiry to identify the deceased and determine the circumstances of their deaths.
The group of non-governmental organizations, which includes the Afrikajom Centre and several branches of Tournons La Page (TLP), issued a statement urging Guinean authorities to ensure that “all hypotheses be examined as part of an independent, impartial and transparent investigation.” The coalition also requested the inquiry be conducted “with the support of national and international forensic experts in order to formally identify the victims.”
In their statement, the organizations said the condition of the bodies “raise fears that the victims may have been subjected to extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions.” The groups also noted the discovery in the context of what they described as “at least 35 cases of enforced disappearances documented by TLP-Guinea since September 5, 2021.”
Guinea’s Armed Forces have publicly confirmed the discovery. In a statement, the military said the six bodies were transported to a hospital in Forecariah “to proceed with identification and, if possible, determine the circumstances of their deaths.” The statement added that “all measures were being taken to shed light” on the incident and assured that the “investigation results will be made public.”
The government of France has also commented on the discovery. According to a report from the news outlet Africanews, French officials called on Guinean authorities to conduct their own transparent and independent investigation.
The events occur amid ongoing political changes in Guinea since a coup in September 2021, led by General Mamady Doumbouya. The military government has since dissolved several political parties and suppressed a number of protests. During this period, various opposition figures and civil society leaders have been arrested or have left the country. Civil society groups have also reported cases of disappearances.
Africanews also reported that a separate mass grave was found in the same region of Guinea in 2025. According to the outlet, investigations into that discovery have not yet publicly identified the victims or their causes of death.
