Russian mercenaries from the Wagner Group could replace French soldiers that are currently in Mali.
This comes after French President Emmanuel Macron said that his country would be reducing the number of its troops from 5 000 to 2 500. The French contingent is currently in the country to help it combat a jihadist insurgency and has been there since 2013.
The decision sparked a war of words between the two countries, with Malian Prime Minister Choguel Maiga saying that the French were abandoning his country. The minister of armed forces in France, Florence Parly, shot back, saying that the Malian government was ‘wiping their feet on the blood of French soldiers’.
Mali is currently also part of a regional military alliance put together to combat jihadists in the region, but there have been warnings that if the Wagner Group does become involved this alliance could collapse.
Public opinion in Mali is split, with some being resentful of the presence of troops from the former colonial power in the country. However, others are wary of the Wagner Group, which first emerged in 2014 following its involvement in fighting in Ukraine. Since then it has seen combat in Syria, Mozambique, Sudan, Libya, and the Central African Republic. The Russian government and the Wagner Group deny any links but this is not seen as credible by observers.
If the deal goes ahead this would signal a significant strategic win for Russia in the region.
Mali is currently governed by a military junta, which seized power in May. The country’s ruler, Colonel Assima Goïta, previously said that he would hold a referendum on a new constitution at the end of this month, with elections scheduled for February next year. However, there is scepticism that he will honour this pledge.
[Image: TM1972, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=52896018]