United Nations, Mar 25 (IANS): At least 886 civilians were killed, injured or missing in Mali in the second half of last year, a UN agency said in a statement.

Of the victims, 40 are children and 65 are women, Xinhua news agency quoted the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) as saying.

According to the document, the number of violence-affected civilians decreased slightly by 7 per cent from the first half of last year.

Human rights abuses that were attributable to groups, such as the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims, have increased by 21 per cent from the previous period.

The note said that the violence was concentrated in the centre of the country, notably in the regions of Bandiagara, Douentza, Mopti and Segou, with a shift towards the southern regions.

Since 2012, Mali has been facing a deep multifaceted crisis at the security, political and economic levels.

Independence insurgencies, jihadi incursions and inter-community violence have left thousands dead and hundreds of thousands displaced in this West African country.