Tuareg rebels in Mali said they shot down a Mi-24 helicopter belonging to the so-called Russian African Corps, which is controlled by the Russian Defense Ministry.
Al Jazeera writes about this.
This incident occurred amid escalating clashes between Malian forces, their Russian allies, and rebels.
The incident was captured on video and verified by independent OSINT analyst OSINTWarfare. He claims that the rebels ambushed an Afrika Korps convoy traveling from Gao to Anefis. He says that several trucks and light combat vehicles were also destroyed in the ambush.
What happened to the Mi-24 crew is unknown. According to Turkish journalist Mahmut Bozarslan, who covers the conflict in Mali, everyone on board died.
What is happening in Mali?
Tuareg rebels have been fighting for years to establish their own state in northern Mali, much of which they effectively control. Mali is currently ruled by a military junta led by General Assimi Goyta, who first seized power in a coup in 2020, promising to restore security and push back armed groups.
The junta enjoyed popular support when it came to power, promising to resolve a long-running security crisis caused by a Tuareg insurgency in the north that was later taken over by Islamist militants.
UN peacekeepers and French troops, who were supposed to prevent the escalation of the rebellion, left the country after the junta came to power, and the military government hired Russian mercenaries to help fight the rebels. Since then, Russiaʼs influence in Mali has grown significantly.
The African Corps, now controlled by the Russian Ministry of Defense, took over operations previously run by the PMC “Wagner” after the death of its founder Yevgeny Prigozhin in 2023.
- In 2024, Mali severed diplomatic relations with Ukraine, accusing Kyiv of supporting the rebels after reports that Malian troops and “Wagner” mercenaries suffered heavy losses in clashes with the Tuareg.
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