Russia’s Wagner mercenary group has announced that it is leaving Mali, saying it has achieved its military objectives in the West African country. The group confirmed the move on its Telegram channel on Friday, marking the end of a three-and-a-half-year deployment aimed at combating rebel groups.
According to Wagner, its forces have restored control of regional centers to the Malian army, neutralized militant leaders and cleared significant areas of armed rebels. The announcement follows a series of deadly attacks in recent weeks that militant sources claim have killed more than 100 Malian soldiers and several Wagner fighters.
The Sahel rebel group JNIM has claimed responsibility for recent violence, including a deadly bombing near Bamako that targeted Malian and Russian personnel.
Wagner’s arrival in Mali follows the expulsion of French and UN forces after the country’s military seized power in coups in 2020 and 2021. Russian fighters have since become central to Mali’s counter-insurgency efforts.
Despite Wagner’s exit, the Russian military presence in Mali is expected to continue through the Afrika Korps, a force set up with the support of the Russian Defense Ministry. The unit emerged after the failed 2023 rebellion led by Wagner founder Yevgeny Prigozhin and commander Dmitry Utkin, who later moved to Belarus.
Ulf Laessing, head of the Sahel program at Germany’s Konrad Adenauer Foundation, said the move to Afrika Korps marked a shift in Russia’s role in Mali. “The focus could shift from active combat against rebel groups to training and equipment supplies,” Laessing told.
Reports suggest that 70 to 80 percent of Afrika Korps personnel are former Wagner fighters, suggesting continuity in Russia’s military engagement in the region. Mali’s defense ministry has yet to make a statement on Wagner’s withdrawal.