Defeat of the African Squadron in Mali: A Disastrous Encounter

The African Squadron, a rebranded version of the notorious Wagner Group founded by the late Yevgeny Prigozhin, faced a devastating loss in Mali this month at the hands of jihadist rebels.

This week, the rebels shared shocking footage showing the aftermath of the attack, where several mercenaries were killed. In these clips, the Jama’at nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM) referred to the slain individuals as “Wagners.”

The video showed a Russian military vehicle surrounded by deceased soldiers. JNIM claimed they captured another military vehicle along with a considerable arsenal, which included 16 rifles and various other pieces of equipment. Images of their spoils were also revealed.

While the African Squadron hasn’t disclosed any official casualty figures, sources from JNIM allege that around 40 personnel were killed, including at least 14 individuals. The ambush occurred when a group of African soldiers was attacked in a territory long governed by rebels. The Malian government has opted not to comment much beyond acknowledging that the ambush did take place.

Russian military bloggers had previously romanticized the Wagner Group, portraying them as resilient fighters, yet they were notably responsive to JNIM’s footage. Some labeled the situation a “failure” for Wagner’s successors. Others criticized the leadership of the African Corps for underestimating their adversaries and failing to provide necessary air support.

One Russian blogger expressed disappointment that the African Squadron hadn’t learned from the experiences of the Wagner Group that it succeeded. The blogger remarked, “We listened to Wagner veterans who spent years in this land, suffering hits and understanding the local dynamics. But we thought we were clever, trained in military academies with formal experience dating back to Chechnya.”

The Wagner Group, originally a private military company, was founded in 2014 by Prigozhin and ex-Russian military intelligence officer Dmitry Utkin, who had connections to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Prigozhin quickly gained notoriety for his brutal tactics, capitalizing on his mercenary background as “Putin’s chef.” Many fighters in Wagner were previously convicted criminals sourced from Russian prisons.

The group’s actions drew significant criticism from human rights organizations worldwide, with many questioning the legitimacy of labeling it a “private” entity, given its alignment with Putin’s strategic objectives.

Wagner had gained a horrific reputation not through military strategies but rather through sheer cruelty. Notably, in February 2018, it was involved in an ill-fated assault against US special forces and their allies in Syria, which resulted in heavy casualties for the Wagner fighters. The Russian government was so embarrassed by the incident that families of the deceased mercenaries were urged to stay silent about the actual numbers.

This Syrian debacle marked the beginning of the decline of the Wagner Group. Eventually, Prigozhin rebelled against Putin, briefly seizing control of a city and sending Wagner troops towards Moscow. That mutiny was short-lived, leading to the deaths of both Prigozhin and Utkin in a suspicious plane crash in August 2023.

Despite these setbacks, Wagner’s utility to Putin was too significant for it to be abandoned, especially since they had forged favorable relations with multiple Third World governments. Mali, governed by a junta since 2020, is one of their primary clients, relying on Wagner’s expertise as “advisors” against JNIM, which is affiliated with Al-Qaeda and operates throughout the Sahel region.

The Russian government has now rebranded the Wagner Group as the “African Corps,” a paramilitary unit more distinctly under the control of the Russian Ministry of Defense. While many former Wagner members have transitioned to the African Squadron, some still exhibit loyalty to the old Prigozhin banner.

In June, Wagner was officially replaced by the African Legion in Mali. Last week, the government of the Central African Republic, another longtime client of Wagner, noted that Moscow is pushing for this transition to the African Corps. However, the CAR has resisted, arguing that the Wagner Group was perceived as more effective and operationally competent compared to the new entity. Officials have also voiced concerns about the heightened fees demanded by the Russian government for services rendered by the African Corps.