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Wagner had been deployed in Mali since December 2021 and had been repeatedly accused of human rights abuses. Following Wagner’s failed mutiny in 2023 and the suspicious death of the group’s founder, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Moscow restructured military operations in Africa and founded the Africa Corps.
Russia is stepping up cooperation with African countries, including in defence and security, the Kremlin said on Monday. Russia’s role in Africa’s security came under greater scrutiny after mercenary group Wagner announced last week it was leaving Mali.
Wagner had been deployed in Mali since December 2021 and had been repeatedly accused of human rights abuses. Following Wagner’s failed mutiny in 2023 and the suspicious death of the group’s founder, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Moscow restructured military operations in Africa and founded the Afrika Korps.
The Kremlin-controlled paramilitary force will remain in Mali after Wagner’s departure. Governments in the Sahel region turned to Russian-controlled armed forces to help battle fighters linked with al-Qaeda and the Islamic State. Armed groups in Mali have inflicted heavy losses on Malian troops and Russian mercenaries.
The al-Qaeda linked jihadist group Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) killed dozens of soldiers in an attack on a military base this month. Militants also killed dozens of Wagner mercenaries in northern Mali last July.
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