What Are Russian Forces Doing in Mali Amid Jihadist Blockade?

Abidjan: Russian forces fighting in Mali have failed to free the country from a suffocating fuel blockade and attacks by suspected jihadists as the vast Sahel region becomes further mired in conflict.

After turning its back on former colonial power France, Mali’s junta government in 2021 turned to Russia and its notorious Wagner paramilitary group, which became the African Union in June.

African Union troops, under the direct control of Russia’s defense ministry, are tasked with fighting jihadists, who have recently increased attacks in the south and west of the country.

Although the Wagner Group brought victories for the Malian army in the north, with the recapture of key strongholds from suspected jihadists and Tuareg separatists in 2023, these victories were not enough to improve overall national security.

Meanwhile, Russian forces in Mali are accused of committing numerous abuses against civilians, with jihadists presenting themselves as protectors of targeted communities, according to various reports.

“The list of incidents in which Wagner was found to have committed atrocities includes massacres, acts of torture, and rape of civilians,” the Geneva-based NGO Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime said in its October report. he wrote.

According to the latest Global Terrorism Index, the region has now become the world epicenter of “terrorism”.

‘Actively deployed’

The al-Qaeda-linked Group in Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM) has blockaded several towns since September and attacked fuel convoys from Senegal and Ivory Coast, through which the majority of Mali’s imports pass.

The army struggled to secure the roads, costing the lives of both drivers and soldiers.

And the fuel shortage that choked the country, including the capital Bamako, could not be prevented.

Initially limited to air support, the Afrika Korps now intervenes from the ground.

Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Thursday that the corps was “actively deployed in the field at the request of the Financial authorities to restore fuel supplies.”

He stated that “land and air escorts have been activated.”

However, a European intelligence source told AFP that the efforts of the Malian army and the Afrika Korps “were unsuccessful and extremely costly”.

On Tuesday, JNIM threatened to intensify the blockade of Bamako, declaring that all tanker truck drivers would henceforth be considered “military targets” and “treated accordingly.”

The African Union’s presence in Mali is part of Moscow’s broader strategy to strengthen its political, economic and military influence on the continent, especially as many countries in the West are moving away from Russia.

Ulf Laessing, director of the Sahel program at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Mali, said the group was “already present in other African countries such as Libya, Niger and Burkina Faso, where they mostly provide training.”

The Afrika Korps was also seen in the Central African Republic and Equatorial Guinea.

‘Largely absent’ from the south

Unlike its Wagner predecessor, the African Union is adopting a more cautious approach on the ground.

“It has participated in far fewer battles and relies heavily on air support, drones and fortified positions,” said Heni Nsaibia, senior West Africa analyst for conflict monitoring unit ACLED.

Nsaibia said the Afrika Korps was “largely absent from the south” except for a few operations, but was increasingly assisting the Malian army in securing fuel convoys.

Russia has traditionally concentrated its activities in northern Mali, which is home to rich mining resources that attract Moscow’s attention.

The junta hopes to benefit from these mining areas, mostly controlled by JNIM and the Islamic State group in the Sahel, especially when it comes to gold, a resource also coveted by Russia.

Russian company Yadran has partnered with Mali to build a new gold refinery that is expected to process 200 tonnes of gold per year.

Meanwhile, in mid-November, the Malian army and Russian soldiers recaptured the Intahaka mining area in the country’s northern Gao region.

‘Russia’s interests’

In recent weeks, Moscow has sent media outlets to Mali to report glowingly on the African Union and polish its image.

“Military personnel in the defense ministry, especially the African Corps, defend Russia’s interests always and everywhere,” a Russian soldier in Mali recently told state television channel RT.

The African Union refused to answer questions from AFP earlier this week.

According to ACLED data, 924 civilians were killed in incidents involving Wagner and the Malian army in 2024.

It was stated that 434 more people have died since January 2025.