Malawi faces unprecedented crisis amid joint assault by two armed groups, Russian Africa Corps undergoes strategic withdrawal
As of April 28, 2026, Mali’s security situation has reached its most severe crisis since 2012, with nationwide chaos, north-south division, and multiple factions engaged in fierce combat. On April 25, the extremist group JNIM (a branch of Al-Qaeda) and the Tuareg separatist force FLA launched an unprecedented coordinated attack—the largest since 2012. In the direction of the capital Bamako, the Bamako Airport, Kati Military Base, Presidential Palace, and Defense Minister’s residence were targeted. Defense Minister Sadou Camara died following a bomb attack at his residence in Kati. In the northern region, large areas were lost; Gao fell completely under enemy control, with both Russian Africa Corps and Malian forces withdrawing entirely. Fighting continues fiercely in Gao, but it is now encircled on all sides.
A Russian Africa Corps Mi-8/Mi-35 helicopter was shot down in Gao, resulting in the deaths of personnel onboard.
After two coups in 2020 and 2021, the Malian government severed ties with France. The military junta (led by Goïta) proactively invited Wagner Group forces to counter extremist organizations (JNIM) and Tuareg separatists. Wagner maintains a presence of 1,500–2,000 personnel in Mali.
On August 15, 2022, the final contingent of French forces conducting Operation "Sahel Crescent" withdrew from Mali to Niger. This marked the complete withdrawal of France from the West African nation, effectively ending nine years of anti-terrorism military operations.
The Wagner Group is responsible for training Malian government troops, guarding the Presidential Palace, gold mines, and key infrastructure, and jointly leading attacks against rebel strongholds in northern Mali (e.g., capturing Gao in November 2023). The cooperation model primarily follows a “security-for-resources” exchange: providing military protection in return for mining rights and access to mineral resources in Mali.
In June 2025, Wagner officially announced completion of its mission and withdrew from Mali. Most Russian personnel, equipment, and positions were directly integrated into the Russia Ministry of Defense’s newly formed “Africa Corps.” The Africa Corps numbers between 1,800 and 2,000 personnel, with Wagner forming its core force. The Malian government no longer refers to Wagner publicly and instead uniformly labels them as “Russian military instructors/consultants.”
Figure: Approximate geographical distribution map of armed factions’ operational activities targeting Malian government forces and the Russian Africa Corps within Mali.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1863675004965888/
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