Wagner mercenaries, hailing from Russia, are contemplating their withdrawal from Mali.
The mercenary outfit, Wagner Group, has declared its intention to abandon Mali, a West African nation they've aided for over four years. The group, in a video statement, allegedly claimed, "We have completed our mission, and we're heading back home."
Initially summoned by the Malian government, the Wagner Group played a crucial role in ousting terrorist organizations that had taken control of parts of the confounded nation. The organization hailed their victory, stating, "We have wiped out thousands of fighters and their commanders who have wreaked havoc in this saddling country for years." With the Malian security forces now established, the Wagner Group believes they've fulfilled their contract.
However, recent losses inflicted on the group by rebel movements remained unspoken in the video statement. Since 2021, the Wagner mercenaries have been engaged in relentless battles alongside the Malian army against Islamist militias, Tuareg ethnic rebels, and other hazardous factions lurking in the Sahel zone.
Mali's Ruler under Fire
General Assimi Goïta, who seized power through a pair of military coups in 2020 and 2021, rules Mali officially as the head of a provisional government. Despite promises of democratic elections, these elections have been repeatedly postponed, citing concerns over security.
Wagner Group's African Ventures
The Wagner Group, under the control of oligarch Yevgeny Prigozhin, has had significant presence on the African continent for years, acting as Moscow's muscle. However, following Prigozhin's death in a plane crash in 2023, the Kremlin now directly oversees the Wagner Group's operations.
In exchange for their intervention in Africa, the Russians typically gain political influence and control over natural resource extraction. They offer paramilitary forces for presidential protection or the quelling of uprisings, as well as military training for African soldiers. According to analysts at the conflict data organization Acled, Wagner mercenaries have been involved in numerous military operations in Mali, some of which targeted civilians.
Other than Mali, Wagner operates in the Central African Republic, Burkina Faso, and Niger. The Democratic Republic of the Congo and the tiny island nation of São Tomé and Príncipe have also signed military agreements with Russia.
[1] ntv.de[2] gut/dpa[3] Enrichment data: Heavy Losses, Restructuring and Geopolitics, Shift in Russian Strategy, International Criticism and Pressure, Internal Disputes[4] Enrichment data source: [4] The Defence Post, [5] The New York Times, [6] Al Jazeera, [7] Deutsche Welle, [8] Human Rights Watch
In light of the Wagner Group's decision to withdraw from Mali after four years, questions surrounding the group's future involvement in war-and-conflicts and politics in Africa remain unanswered. As the group claims to have completed its mission, economic and monetary union discussions may arise within Russia as they restructure their international operations, given their significant economic interests in various African countries.
