Rebel groups in northern Mali claim to have killed and wounded dozens of government soldiers, several of whom are said to be Russian mercenaries from the Wagner group. The announcement came last Saturday after fighting near the border with Algeria, it says ABC News.
Videos posted on social media show the lifeless bodies of white men and Malian soldiers. Several destroyed vehicles are also seen.
Greatest damage inflicted on the Wagner group
Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane is the spokesman for the rebel coalition, which is made up of Tuareg fighters. According to him, the fighting went on for two days on the outskirts of the village of Tinzawaten.
Ramadane said “the enemy suffered huge losses in terms of lives and equipment, including dozens of dead and wounded.” He also said that some “Malian soldiers and mercenaries from Wagner groups surrendered to the Tuareg fighters.”
If true, it would be the worst damage inflicted by the Tuareg rebels on the Wagner group’s mercenaries in Mali.
The rebels’ statement comes after the Malian army said on Friday night that two soldiers were killed and ten wounded after a rebel attack. Two armored vehicles and pickup trucks are said to have also been destroyed in the attack. They also claim to have killed around 20 rebels and destroyed several of their vehicles.
None of the parties’ claims have been able to be confirmed.
At least 20 Wagner soldiers are said to have been killed
According to Russian military blogger Semyon Pegov, who reports under the name War Gonzo, “Employees of the Wagner PMC (Group), moving in a convoy with government troops, were killed in Mali… Some were captured.” It writes Reuters.
According to the Baza Telegram news channel, which has links to Russia’s security structures, at least 20 Wagner soldiers have been killed. It has not been possible to verify the data.
The Wagner group fought for Russia in the war against Ukraine. Their former leader Yevgeny Prigozhin led a mutiny against the Russian defense establishment and died two months later in a plane crash.
Putin & Prigozhin
The warlord who defied the Russian elite, who for a moment seemed to sway President Putin, but seems to have had to pay for this with his life.