Russia’s Wagner mercenaries report heavy losses in Mali fighting

Russia-affiliated Wagner mercenary group, operating alongside Malian soldiers, reported significant casualties following intense clashes with Tuareg rebels near Mali’s border with Algeria.

The conflict, spanning from July 22 to 27, took place in the border town of Tinzaouaten, a strategic location amid Mali’s ongoing struggle against a prolonged extremist insurgency.

Wagner’s presence in clashes confirmed

Mali has experienced political instability since military coups in 2020 and 2021. Despite claims from the Malian government that Russian forces present in the country are not Wagner mercenaries but only training and assisting local troops with Russia-bought equipment, the recent skirmishes have highlighted Wagner’s involvement.

The rebel faction, known as the Permanent Strategic Framework for Peace, Security and Development (CSP-PSD), announced on Saturday that they had captured armored vehicles, trucks, tankers and both Wagner and Malian soldiers during the conflict in Tinzaouaten.

Wagner commander killed in action

In a rare public statement, Wagner disclosed that their forces, led by commander Sergei Shevchenko, also known by his callsign “Pond,” had engaged in heavy fighting alongside Malian soldiers.

The group announced on Telegram that Shevchenko had been killed in the fighting. Their last message on July 27 stated: “The three of us stayed. We continue to fight.”

The Malian army confirmed that two of its soldiers were killed and 10 were injured during the clashes. Additionally, a helicopter crash in Kidal on Friday, described as a routine mission, resulted in no fatalities, according to Malian military statements over the weekend but the footage shows the helicopter received heavy anti-air fire from the insurgents, causing the helicopter to make a hard landing on a compound. The situation in Mali remains volatile.