In a tragic turn of events, a commander in a Russian mercenary group has been killed in Mali during an attack by rebel fighters amidst a fierce sandstorm. The group, now known as Africa Corps, had been enlisted by Mali’s military regime in 2021 to combat jihadist and separatist forces in the region.
Reports indicate that the separatist rebels launched a major assault, resulting in the deaths of an estimated 20 to 50 mercenaries, including the commander, Sergei Shevchenko. The mercenaries initially claimed to have decimated most of the Islamists before the sandstorm allowed the radicals to regroup and outnumber them.
The separatist group responsible for the attack, the Permanent Strategic Framework for Peace, Security and Development (CSP-PSD), claimed victory, stating that they had captured prisoners and damaged or seized a significant amount of equipment and weapons. Video footage shared by the rebels shows numerous casualties and captured individuals, although the authenticity of the videos has not been confirmed.
In a conflicting claim, the al-Qaeda affiliate Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) asserted sole responsibility for the attack, boasting that they had killed 50 Russian mercenaries in a “complex ambush.”
The situation in Mali has been tumultuous for over a decade, with the central government losing control of the north following a Tuareg rebellion and the subsequent involvement of Islamist militants. The military junta that seized power in recent years cited the government’s inability to address the unrest as justification for their coups.
Furthermore, the junta’s decision to align with Russia and disband the Wagner mercenary group after a mutiny by its leader has only added to the complexity of the conflict in Mali. As the region continues to grapple with violence and instability, the death of the Russian commander serves as a grim reminder of the ongoing challenges faced by all parties involved.
