Mali Tuareg Rebels Report Heavy Casualties Among Soldiers and Wagner Mercenaries

Mali’s northern Tuareg rebels reported a significant victory over government forces and Wagner mercenaries, asserting they killed and injured dozens in two days of intense fighting near the Algerian border.

The rebel group, known as the Permanent Strategic Framework for Peace, Security and Development (CSP-PSD), announced on Saturday that they had seized several armoured vehicles, trucks, and tankers during clashes in the border town of Tinzaouaten on Thursday and Friday. The group also claimed to have damaged a helicopter, which subsequently crashed in the town of Kidal, located hundreds of kilometres away.

The Malian army, in contrast, reported a more modest toll. According to statements, the military acknowledged the loss of two soldiers and injuries to ten others. The army confirmed that one of its helicopters crashed in Kidal on Friday during a routine mission, but stated that there were no fatalities.

Adding to the complexity of the situation, several Russian military bloggers reported on Sunday that at least 20 Wagner group operatives were killed in an ambush near the Algerian border. Reuters was unable to independently verify these claims.

The Wagner group, a Russian private military company, has been notably active in various global conflicts, including playing a significant role in the fierce fighting in Ukraine. However, the group’s future became uncertain after the death of its leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, in a plane crash in August, two months after he led a brief mutiny against the Russian defence establishment.

In Mali, where the military took control following coups in 2020 and 2021, the government has been grappling with a persistent Islamist insurgency.

Official statements from the Malian authorities assert that Russian forces present in the country are not Wagner mercenaries, but rather trainers assisting local troops with equipment purchased from Russia. Despite this, reports, including one from Baza on Sunday, indicate that Wagner fighters have been operating in Mali since at least 2021.

The Tuareg, an ethnic group native to the Sahara region, including northern Mali, have a long history of conflict with the Malian government, feeling marginalised by the central authorities. The separatist Tuareg group initiated an insurgency against the Malian junta in 2012, although their rebellion was later co-opted by Islamist factions.

In 2015, a peace agreement was signed between the Tuareg rebels and the government in Bamako. However, CSP-PSD withdrew from these peace talks at the end of 2022, signalling a renewed phase of conflict.

Main image source: defence-blog.com

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