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Africa Corps retreat from Kidal marks setback in Mali

Russian-backed paramilitary forces pull out after coordinated attacks by jihadists and Tuareg rebels across northern Mali

The Africa Corps retreat from Kidal marks setback in Mali, where Russian-backed paramilitary forces have been forced to abandon one of the country’s most strategic المدن after coordinated assaults by jihadist groups and Tuareg rebels.

It is the first significant reversal for the Africa Corps, a paramilitary formation established on November 20, 2023, at the initiative of Deputy Defense Minister Yunus-bek Evkurov. The unit was designed to replace the Wagner Group and carry forward Moscow’s military and political influence abroad.

According to available information, Africa Corps fighters withdrew following coordinated attacks on Saturday by militants from Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), linked to al-Qaeda, alongside Tuareg separatists from the Azawad Liberation Front. The offensives targeted multiple المدن, including Bamako, Kidal—whose control had been reasserted by the Malian authorities in 2023—Gao and Mopti. During the clashes, Defense Minister Sado Camara was killed.

The withdrawal from Kidal was confirmed by the Africa Corps itself in a Telegram post published the following day. The statement indicated that the evacuation prioritized the wounded and heavy equipment, while acknowledging that the overall security situation in Mali remains difficult.

Videos verified by The Moscow Times show a convoy moving through the city center from the south—where Malian regular forces and a Russian base are located—heading west toward the main exit route. The convoy reportedly included an armored personnel carrier, three modified pickup trucks, a Chinese-made Shacman SX2190N truck used by Russian mercenaries, and Grad missile systems. Several Russian vehicles delivered to Mali last year were set ablaze.

The Africa Corps’ presence follows the gradual dismantling of the Wagner network, founded by businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin, who died in a plane crash along with co-founder Dmitry Utkin after falling out with Russia’s military leadership. Over the years, Wagner had entrenched itself across strategic locations in Africa, deploying trainers and security units to protect sensitive sites, including mining operations in the Central African Republic.

In Mali, Wagner consolidated its position in 2021, stepping in after the withdrawal of French forces to support the ruling military junta against jihadist groups. The same model—military takeovers followed by defense agreements with Russia—was later replicated in Burkina Faso and Niger, extending Moscow’s footprint across the Sahel.

“This is more of a psychological defeat, in terms of equipment and material losses,” said Ulf Laessing, director of the Sahel Program at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, in an interview with an English-language newspaper. “I don’t think their assets at Bamako airport have been hit. Their base in Kidal was looted, but most of the infrastructure remains intact.”

The Africa Corps, whose name echoes the Afrikakorps of the Third Reich, has taken over Wagner’s operations on the continent, absorbing both personnel and infrastructure. It is described as a more centralized and disciplined force, tasked with conducting large-scale military operations to support governments seeking to reduce Western influence and assert full sovereignty.

The group is currently active in Burkina Faso, Libya, Sudan, the Central African Republic and Niger. In Mali, it has been replacing Wagner since 2024, deploying hundreds, possibly thousands, of mercenaries, including former Wagner commanders who brought their units with them.

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