Intense fighting has erupted in northern Mali, with Tuareg rebels claiming significant victories over government forces and Russian mercenaries. The Permanent Strategic Framework for Peace, Security and Development (CSP-PSD), a rebel movement, reported killing and injuring dozens of soldiers and Russia’s Wagner mercenaries in two days of fighting near the Algerian border on July 25-26.
The Russian mercenaries from Wagner Group, who fought against Ukraine and in summer 2023 attempted a coup in Russia but then ceased their uprising, subsequently signed with the Russian Defense Ministry or deployed to Africa after their mutiny failed. Russia, through Wagner and other entities, bolsters authoritarian regimes in Africa, fosters instability, and extracts resources to finance its war in Ukraine.
The Malian military leaders, who assumed power in a 2020 coup, have prioritized reclaiming the entire country from separatist and jihadi forces, especially in Kidal, a northern stronghold favoring independence. The Russian Baza Telegram channel, which has links to Russia’s security structures, said that Wagner fighters have been in Mali since at least 2021.
According to a statement by the CSP-PSD published on Facebook on 27 July, the rebels seized armored vehicles, trucks, and tankers in the fighting at the border town of Tinzaouaten. They also claimed to have damaged a helicopter, which reportedly crashed in the town of Kidal. The rebel group acknowledged seven of its fighters were killed and 12 injured in the engagement.
The Malian army said that one of their helicopters had crashed in Kidal on 26 July allegedly during a routine mission, but stated that no one was killed in the incident, as per AP. Mali claimed Russian forces were not Wagner mercenaries, but ostensibly trainers helping local troops with equipment purchased from Russia.
CSP-DPA fighters shot down two Wagner Group helicopters near the Algerian city of Tin Zawatin, as reported by Russian soldier Alexei Voevoda on his Telegram channel, Militarnyi reported. The incident involved an Mi-8 helicopter pilot killed by machine-gun fire and an Mi-24 caught in a vortex ring, both helicopters being forced out of combat.
Wagner casualties
Russian military bloggers, including Semyon Pegov, known as War Gonzo, reported that at least 20 Wagner group members were killed in an ambush near the Algerian border. The Baza Telegram channel corroborated this information.
Wagner’s Svyatosha Veshchayet Telegram channel reported the death of senior Wagner Group commander Anton Elizarov, known as “Lotus,” although later reports suggested he could have survived. Additionally, the death of Russian propagandist and GRAY ZONE Telegram channel owner Nikita Fedyanin was confirmed by another propagandist on his page, with details verified by SOTA, Militarnyi reported.
Meanwhile, former commander of the 13th Wagner assault squadron, known by the call sign Rusich, reported,
“At the moment, according to my data, more than 80 people were killed and more than 15 are in captivity from our Russian comrades, soldiers representing Russia’s interests.”
Numerous photos and videos, released by the rebels, show numerous Wagner casualties:
☠️???? Heavy losses of mercenaries of the former "Wagner Group" in ????????Mali. pic.twitter.com/d7YZDvzY1S
— MAKS 24 ???????????? (@Maks_NAFO_FELLA) July 27, 2024
Other footage shows captured mercenaries and equipment:
In Mali, local fighters defeated a large attack group of the Russian Military Contingent "Wagner" that tried to attack one of the cities they controlled.
During the battle, the mercenaries lost several MRAP armored vehicles and a Mi-24 helicopter pic.twitter.com/p8ZD8kI4kI— TOGA (@TOGAjano21) July 27, 2024
The CSP-PSD Tuareg rebels, having defeated and captured a significant number of Wagner mercenaries, offered to hand them over to Ukraine, according to Ukrinform.
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