The UN official said he was ‘appalled’ by the killings in central Mali.
The army’s fight against rebels has been criticised as heavy-handed, with the HRW report being the latest criticism.
The UN helicopter accidentally landed in al-Shabab territory on Wednesday, with 6 of 9 passengers taken hostage.
Several passengers reportedly taken after helicopter lands in territory controlled by the armed group.
The embargo was placed on Somalia in 1992 to cut the flow of weapons to feuding warlords in the country.
Threat of attacks has receded, but experts believe a regeneration of hardline groups in the region is still possible.
All ‘five colleagues’ kidnapped 18 months ago are in good health, spokesman for UN chief Antonio Guterres says.
Kenya postpones reopening the border amid turbulent ties and al-Shabab attacks.
The move is the latest escalation in a crackdown on French-owned foreign media by the Burkinabe government.
More than 300 of the peacekeepers in MINUSMA have also been killed since the start of the Mali mission in 2013.
Since 2006, the al-Qaeda linked rebels have been trying to topple the Somalian government and establish sovereignty.
The AU mission is yet to confirm the number of casualties although al-Shabab claims to have killed 137 soldiers.
Defendant called key figure in al Qaeda-linked group that tormented Malians in closing arguments of war crimes trial.
Kenneth Elliott was taken captive in Burkina Faso in 2016 along with his wife who was released shortly afterwards.
