Russia’s Wagner mercenary group has confirmed heavy losses in recent fighting against Tuareg rebels near Mali’s border with Algeria.
The announcement on Monday follows a claim by a Tuareg separatist coalition, made earlier on Sunday, that they had achieved a significant victory over Mali’s army and its Russian allies.
The Incident Unfolds
The Wagner group detailed a series of intense battles with militants that occurred from July 22 to July 27. These skirmishes, which Wagner described as “fierce,” led to initial tactical victories but ultimately resulted in significant casualties for the mercenaries.
According to the statement, a sandstorm played a critical role, allowing the rebels to regroup and bolster their numbers to 1,000 militants.
Experts have noted that this incident marks one of the largest losses suffered by Russian mercenaries in overseas operations, aside from their involvement in Ukraine.
The fighting erupted in Tinzaouatene, a region near Mali’s border with Algeria, after the Malian army claimed to have retaken control of several districts.
Heavy Fighting in Tinzaouatene
On Thursday, large-scale clashes broke out between Mali’s army, supported by Russian mercenaries, and the rebel group known as the Permanent Strategic Framework for Peace, Security and Development (CSP-PSD).
Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane, a spokesman for CSP-PSD, stated, “Our forces decisively obliterated these enemy columns on Saturday,” adding that a substantial amount of equipment and weapons were seized or damaged and that prisoners were taken.
Reports from the rebel side indicated that seven separatist fighters were killed and 12 wounded in the fighting. Wagner acknowledged that the sandstorm had enabled the rebels to regroup and increase their numbers, which significantly impacted the battle’s outcome.
Conflicting Death Toll Reports
The exact number of casualties among the Wagner mercenaries remains unclear, with conflicting reports circulating. Russian Telegram channels close to Wagner reported that 20 mercenary fighters were killed and five taken hostage.
However, the BBC Russian Service cited a source who previously served with Wagner, suggesting that at least 82 mercenary fighters were killed in the attack.
A local official and a former worker with the UN mission in Mali told AFP that the Malian army had retreated, with at least 15 Wagner fighters killed or arrested.
Meanwhile, the Al-Qaeda-linked group Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimeen (JNIM) claimed responsibility for attacking the Malian army convoy and Wagner allies, asserting that they had killed 50 Russians and 10 Malians. These claims, however, could not be independently verified.
High-Profile Casualties
Among those reported killed was Nikita Fedyanin, the administrator of the Grey Zone Telegram channel, which has over 568,000 subscribers and is linked to Wagner.
Additionally, reports on social media indicated that Wagner commander Anton Yelizarov, known by the alias Lotos, was either captured or killed in the fighting.
Russian Telegram channels claimed that the Russia Africa Corps, an umbrella group for Russian mercenaries in Africa under the Russian Defense Ministry, had freed Wagner hostages for ransoms, but these claims also remain unverified.
The Role of Wagner in Mali
Since its inception in 2014, Wagner had been perceived as an extension of the Kremlin’s influence in Africa until the death of its leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, in 2023.
Following Prigozhin’s death, the Russian Defense Ministry took over Wagner’s operations in Africa, incorporating them into a larger organization known as Africa Corps. However, experts have raised questions about the command structures on the ground.
Reports from December indicated that Africa Corps planned to station troops in several African countries, including Burkina Faso, Libya, Mali, the Central African Republic, and Niger.
In April, reports emerged that Wagner had resumed recruitment in Africa, with several thousand Russian soldiers transferred from Ukraine to Africa as both mercenaries and regular soldiers.
The Situation in Mali
Mali has been plagued by violence from jihadist and criminal groups since 2012. The country experienced a significant political shift in 2022 when a junta led by Colonel Assimi Goita took power, breaking the traditional alliance with France in favor of Russia.
The recent fighting in Mali represents one of the heaviest losses for Russian mercenaries in international operations, aside from their activities in Ukraine and the 2018 battle of Khasham in Syria.
Ukrainian Involvement
Ukrainian military intelligence spokesperson Andriy Yusov claimed on Monday that Ukraine allegedly assisted the rebels with information that enabled them to conduct a successful military operation against the Russian mercenaries. However, Yusov did not provide further details.
Expert Analysis
Journalist Denis Korotkov from the Dossier Center, who has extensively investigated Wagner and its activities, raised questions about the current command of the mercenaries.
“On one hand, the so-called African Corps, overseen by the Defense Ministry, is engaged in African projects,” Korotkov said.
However, he noted that it remains unclear who exactly is in charge of commanding and planning military actions on the ground.
John Lechner, an independent researcher focused on Russia, suggested that Prigozhin’s structures had not yet been moved under Africa Corps in Mali due to the risks associated with such battles.
“Russian military planners are well aware of the difficulties facing them in Mali and the Wagner label has been retained to hedge for precisely these types of scenarios,” Lechner commented on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Conclusion
The recent battles in Mali highlight the complexities and risks associated with Russia’s use of mercenaries in foreign conflicts.
The heavy losses suffered by Wagner underline the volatile nature of the situation in Mali and the challenges faced by Russian forces operating in the region. As the situation continues to develop, the international community will be closely watching the ramifications of this significant conflict.
Russian officials have yet to comment on the incident, leaving many questions unanswered about the future of Wagner’s operations in Africa and the broader implications for Russia’s military strategies on the continent.