Particle.news

Download on the App Store

Wagner Group Withdraws From Mali After Declaring Mandate Complete

Months of heavy commander casualties prompted the Kremlin-controlled mercenaries to declare their mission complete

Russische Söldner steigen im Norden Malis in einen Hubschrauber.
Image

Overview

  • On June 6 the Wagner Group announced it would pull its forces out of Mali after supporting the government since 2021
  • The private army backed General Assimi Goïta’s regime in counterinsurgency campaigns against Islamist militants and Tuareg rebels
  • Recent months brought heavy losses for Wagner, including the deaths of several high-ranking commanders in frontline operations
  • Observers link Wagner’s presence to Moscow’s strategy of securing political influence and resource concessions in exchange for military support
  • Now directly overseen by the Kremlin following Yevgeny Prigozhin’s death, Wagner leaves behind a fragile security environment in the Sahel