The Wagner group of Russia leaves Mali, the Africa body will remain – DW – 06/07/2025

THE Supported by Russia Wagner mercenaries group Friday, he left Mali after more than three and a half years of Islamist insurgents in the country.

Despite Wagner’s announcement, Russia will continue to have its presence in Mali while Africa Corps, a paramilitary force also controlled by Russia, will continue to stay in the country.

Why does Wagner Group leave Mali?

The Africa Corps declared on his telegram that the departure of Wagner would not introduce any change, and the Russian contingent will remain Mali.

“Mission accomplished. The private military company Wagner returns home,” the group announced via its channel on the Telegram messaging application.

The Wagner group was in Mali Since the army expelled French and United Nations troops that fought Islamic insurgents for a decade.

With a decreasing Western influence in the region, Russia rushed to fill the gap and offer help.

Wagner said he had managed to bring all the country’s regional centers under the control of the Malian military junta.

What do we know about Africa Body?

The Africa Corps was trained with the support of the Russian Defense Ministry after the founder of Wagner Yevgeny Prigozhin And Commander Dmitry Utkin led a failed military mutiny against the leadership of the Russian army and left Russia for Bélarus with other mercenaries. Prigozhin was then killed in a plane crash north of Moscow, with American officials suggesting that a bomb or sabotage on board dropped the plane.

About 70 to 80% of the Africa Corps group is made up of former Wagner mercenaries, according to several telegrams cats used by Russian mercenaries seen by the Reuters news agency.

About 2,000 mercenaries are deployed in Mali. We do not know how many are with Wagner and how much of the Africa Corps are part, according to American officials.

Published by: Wesley Dockery