The military regime in the West African state had turned to the notorious Wagner group in 2021, seeking support in fighting jihadist and separatist forces.
The Russian outfit – which has now morphed into a group named Africa Corps – said it had joined Mali’s military in fierce battles against separatist rebels and jihadist militants last week.
However, the separatists launched a major attack, killing an estimated 20 to 50 mercenaries, sources close to Africa Corps told the BBC.
Similarly, several Russian military bloggers reported that at least 20 were killed in the ambush near the north-eastern town of Tinzaouaten.In an official statement posted to Telegram, the Russian mercenary group did not specify how many of their troops had died, but they confirmed suffering losses. This included a commander, Sergei Shevchenko, who was killed in action.The mercenaries initially destroyed most of the Islamists and put the rest to flight”, the statement said.
The Permanent Strategic Framework for Peace, Security and Development (CSP-PSD), a separatist group dominated by the Tuareg ethnic group, claimed responsibility for the attack.