JNIM strikes: Russian mercenaries targeted in Mali ambush
The group Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM) attacked Russian Wagner mercenaries in Mali, resulting in the death of at least six of them. This incident marks yet another attack on Russians in Africa.
The attack took place in Mopti, where the Wagner group was overseeing a checkpoint. This is already the second occasion on which Russian mercenaries have fallen into an ambush in Mali. Back in July, they were assailed by Tuareg rebels near the Algerian border, leading to the death of all fighters in the 13th assault unit.
According to pro-Kremlin media reports, over 25 Russians perished in the July attack, although the former commander of the 13th PMC Wagner unit claimed the casualties were nearly 100. The rebels reported a total of 121 fatalities, including 84 Wagner members.
It is alleged that Ukrainian intelligence provided the local Tuaregs with information about the ambush, prompting the severance of diplomatic relations between Mali and Ukraine. In response, Russia assisted the junta in targeting the rebels' families, resulting in the deaths of 21 civilians.
The Wagner Group in Africa
Wagner group fighters are notorious for their brutal actions in Ukraine, as well as in Africa. The presence of Russian mercenaries in Mali dates back to 2021, when the local junta sought their collaboration in exchange for security services. Russia also exerts influence over the governments in Niger and Burkina Faso, thereby increasing its sway in the region.
Earlier this year, Ukrainian special forces apprehended three Russian Wagner group mercenaries in Sudan, as reported by the Kyiv Post.
"We are on the side of good. We are defending not only Ukraine but also the legitimate government of Sudan against evil," said Ukrainian soldier Ihor Checherynda in response to the Kyiv Post's report, which featured video footage of the mercenaries captured in Sudan by the Ukrainian military intelligence special unit (HUR).
In the footage, one of the captives speaks Russian and identifies as part of the Wagner group. He claims their mission was to overthrow the Sudanese authorities and notes that their numbers reach about a hundred.
