The Russian private military company Wagner announced on Friday that it has completed its mission assisting Mali’s military government in combating Islamist militants.
“PMC Wagner has fulfilled its primary mission in Mali,” the organization stated on its official Telegram channel. “PMC Wagner is on its way home.”
Mali, located in the Sahel region, has been facing jihadist and separatist conflicts since 2012. After a military coup in 2020, the junta sought military and political aid from Russia, severing relations with France and other Western allies.
In a video message, Wagner accused Western forces of “systematically looting” Mali’s natural resources and asserted that Russian fighters arrived equipped with “superior weaponry and cutting-edge military technology.” The group itself has been accused of capitalizing on Mali’s gold reserves in return for their services.
“We aided local patriots in establishing a formidable and disciplined army capable of defending their nation. All regional capitals have been restored to the control of legitimate authorities,” the company claimed.
“We’ve eliminated thousands of militants and their leaders who have been terrorizing civilians for years,” it added.
Wagner did not address its own casualties, which include a significant loss in July 2023 when Tuareg rebels ambushed a convoy in northern Mali. Attacks persist throughout various regions of the country.
Human rights organizations and analysts frequently accuse both Wagner and the Malian military of committing atrocities against civilians. As of March, it was estimated that up to 1,500 Russian Wagner fighters were active in Mali, as reported by Al Jazeera.
Wagner has also deployed its mercenaries in the conflict in Ukraine, as well as in various Middle Eastern and African conflicts.
Following the death of the group’s leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, in a plane crash after a failed revolt against the Kremlin two years ago, Russia’s Defense Ministry has taken over Wagner’s international operations.
Reporting by Reuters contributed to this information.
