In northern Mali, an attack took place on a convoy transporting Malian soldiers and members of the Russian paramilitary group “African Corps.” This was reported by the Glavkom news agency, citing Reuters.
According to the source, the convoy included more than 200 Russian fighters and over 100 Malian soldiers. Earlier this week, a similar attack took place on another military convoy heading north.
The day before, Tuareg rebels surrounded Russian militants in the strategic Anefis area and captured dozens of Malian soldiers, resuming a large-scale offensive that has been ongoing since April. Tuaregs from the “Azawad Liberation Front,” together with jihadists from “Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin,” which is linked to “Al-Qaeda,” attacked government positions in the north, center, and south of the country.
Earlier reports indicated that the April operation by the FLAS and jihadists stripped the junta of control over the city of Kidal and led to the death of Defense Minister Sadio Kamara, who had been a key architect of Mali’s cooperation with Russia. At the same time, Russia’s “African Corps” announced the withdrawal of its units, calling it a “joint decision” with the Malian authorities.
Experts described the withdrawal of Russian forces from the cities of Kidal, Tessalit, and Aguelok as a serious reputational setback for Moscow, as partners in the Sahel are increasingly doubting Russia’s ability to ensure security.
