Brutal Tactics of Wagner Mercenaries Exposed in Mali
Alleged Torture of Civilians: Wagner Militia Accused in Mali
Step aside, Wagner. The curtain falls on a three-year reign of terror in Mali. Critics have long raised questions about the group's tactics, and now their grim details have been unveiled. A shocking investigation paints a harrowing picture.
A joint effort by three international media outlets, including "Le Monde," and the journalist network Forbidden Stories, has revealed that Russia's Wagner group held and tortured hundreds of civilians in Mali over two years, beginning in 2022. Six places of detention were identified, including former UN bases.
On Monday, the announcement of Wagner's departure came after over three years of service, but the company will be replaced by a Russian successor organization. Tragically, many lives were lost during the illegal detentions and savage torture that bore striking resemblance to cases in Ukraine. Survivors spoke of inhumane acts such as waterboarding, beatings, and burns from cigarettes in a Mauritanian refugee camp.
Drowned in Terror
Mali has been under the command of a military junta led by General Assimi Goita since two coups in 2020 and 2021. Breaking with France, the junta has formed a military and political alliance with Russia in its fight against jihadist groups. The Wagner group, despite Mali's denial of their presence, has supported the junta for the past three and a half years, officially recognized only as Russian trainers.
The unspeakable brutality of the paramilitary group in Mali has been repeatedly condemned by human rights organizations. The UN accuses the Malian army and foreign fighters of killing at least 500 people in an operation against jihadists in March 2022. The junta denied this, but Western countries claim the fighters were Wagner mercenaries. According to diplomats in the Sahel region, Wagner mercenaries in Mali are set to be integrated into the African Corps, directly controlled by the Moscow Defense Ministry. Similar to Wagner, their mercenaries actively support several African governments.
Closing Remarks
The Wagner group's methods have been under fire, ranging from arbitrary detention and widespread torture to summary executions. The victims, primarily civilians suspected of supporting armed groups, have suffered unimaginable atrocities. Hundreds have been tortured, with the true number being difficult to determine due to limited access for independent observers. Despite the Wagner group's official withdrawal from Mali, their reorganization under the African Corps raises concerns about accountability for ongoing violations and military setbacks.
- The investigation into the Wagner mercenary group, which has been operating in Mali, has revealed their involvement in war-and-conflicts and crime-and-justice, as they held and tortured hundreds of civilians over two years, with tactics that mirror those used in Ukraine.
- The Wagner group, a political mercenary group, has been condemned for their brutal tactics in Mali, including arbitrary detention, widespread torture, and summary executions, as they support several African governments as part of the African Corps, a Russian successor organization.
