The Russian private military company Wagner Group, experienced fighters who previously served in Ukraine, Libya, and Syria were reportedly killed during a battle with Tuareg rebels in Mali.
23 Wagner Fighters Missing
The clash, exacerbated by a sandstorm, underscores the perilous conditions faced by Russian mercenaries operating in the Sahel region, which includes Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, according to Digi24.
The defeat of these seasoned Wagner operatives shows the challenges confronting the Russian forces as they struggle against separatists and extremist groups such as ISIS and Al-Qaeda.
The Wagner Group, which has been heavily involved in supporting military juntas in Africa, is facing significant questions about its effectiveness compared to Western and UN forces recently expelled from the region.
Reuters' investigation, using social media data and interviews with relatives, identified 23 Wagner fighters who went missing in action and two others who were captured by the Tuareg rebels following the ambush near Tinzaouaten.
Many of these fighters had survived the grueling Bakhmut siege in Ukraine, described by Wagner founder Yevgeny Prigozhin as a "meat grinder."
A New Formation
The recent developments also reveal that the Wagner Group's operational difficulties in Mali are compounded by the loss of high-caliber personnel.
Reports and video footage show at least 47 bodies in military uniforms abandoned in the desert, although the exact number of casualties remains uncertain.
Following the death of Prigozhin in August 2023, Wagner personnel were invited to join a new formation, the Africa Corps, under the Russian Ministry of Defense. This group reportedly includes many former Wagner employees and aims to continue operations in Africa.
Despite the Russian government's lack of official comment on the Mali battle, the situation highlights a broader trend of escalating violence and instability in the region.
The Africa Corps has seen a rise in violent incidents linked to Russian mercenaries, with a reported 81% increase in such events over the past year.
