Mali, which experienced military takeovers in 2020 and 2021, is currently grappling with a prolonged insurgency. The country has clarified that the Russian forces present are not Wagner mercenaries but rather trainers assisting local troops with equipment procured from Russia.
According to Baza's report on Sunday, Wagner fighters have been operating in Mali since at least 2021. The Tuareg, an ethnic group residing in the Sahara region, including parts of northern Mali, often feel sidelined by the Malian government.
In 2012, a separatist group initiated an insurgency against Mali's military government, though this uprising was subsequently co-opted by other factions.
