Wagner Aided Drone Strike That Killed 7 Civilians in Mali – Ukrainian Intel

Malian government forces, likely aided by Russian Wagner mercenaries, have reportedly killed seven and injured three in a retaliatory strike in northern Mali, where Tuareg rebels are fighting for the independence of Azawad.

The incident is reported to have taken place on night of Oct. 5 and 6 in areas controlled by the Strategic Framework for the Defense of the People of Azawad (CSP-DPA), one of the Tuareg separatist groups that claimed responsibility for the July clashes that killed dozens of Wagner troops.

The CSP-DPA also claimed on Oct. 2 – two days before the drone strike – that it successfully ambushed a group of Wagner mercenaries, destroying a truck carrying technical equipment.

A group affiliated with CSP-DPA shared the video of the wrecked vehicle a day later.

Local rebels later claimed that a Malian and Wagner convoy en route to Tuareg-controlled Tinzaouaten had “turned around” and returned to government-controlled Kidal following the Oct. 3 ambush. 

Ukrainian intelligence sources familiar with Wagner’s operations throughout Africa told Kyiv Post that local residents have strongly condemned the latest outbreak of violence from the Malian military and Russian mercenaries from the Wagner Group and the African Corps. They demand an end to the aggression and occupation of their historical lands.

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If confirmed, the latest episode would constitute yet another war crime committed by Russia’s Wagner, as deliberately targeting civilians who are not directly taking part in hostilities is considered a war crime under the Geneva Convention.

French state-owned radio and news outlet RFI reported that “on the night of Saturday to Sunday [Oct. 5-6, although other sources report Oct. 4-5], drone strikes by the Malian army targeted ‘a column of vehicles... terrorists,’ according to a statement from the army, which congratulated itself on having ‘destroyed’ it.”

Local sources, some linked to CSP-DPA, others without links to the rebels, corroborated the claim that Malian troops had launched a drone attack on a civilian convoy transporting 24 gold mine workers heading toward Niger. The attack destroyed two civilian vehicles and killed at least seven civilian passengers, with three more injured. The gold miners were of Niger nationality, traveling between Tinzaouaten and Arlit to return home. 

As for the Malian Armed Forces-Wagner column that had set off for Tinzaouatene the previous week, it continued on its way, RFI reported. Around 70 vehicles – according to the civilian and security sources contacted by RFI – loaded with Wagner mercenaries, Malian soldiers, and fighters from GATIA and MSA, local armed groups allied or even incorporated into the army.

Shortly after the column was attacked, Wagner claimed that two fighters captured by CSP-DPA had died in captivity, with CSP-DPA rebuffing the report, according to Reuters. 

Wagner presence in Mali

Wagner mercenaries are officially in Mali as “instructors.” They likely aided the drone strike by providing the equipment and skills needed to conduct the strike.

Earlier in August, Malian forces conducted a drone strike in Tinzaouaten, killing 21 civilians, with Rida Lyammouri, a senior fellow at Moroccan think tank Policy Center for the New South, claiming at the time that “air strikes, including against civilians, are expected to increase as an act of revenge following the recent major setback to Wagner mercenaries in northern Mali,” referring to the July clashes.

Malian forces, augmented by Wagner mercenaries, have been engaging various groups of Tuareg separatists in northern Mali bordering Algeria and Niger, with rising hostilities in recent weeks as government forces ramped up operations against the separatist groups in northern Mali.

The CSP-DPA also criticized “the Malian government and its allies” for the attacks against civilians. 

Russia, using mercenary groups, has been taking full control of the region’s natural resources, particularly the rich gold mines, as well as uranium, oil, and gas reserves in Mali and neighboring Niger and Burkina Faso, all three of which are ruled by pro-Russian military juntas following a wave of coups a few years prior.

Moscow also alleged Ukraine’s involvement in training the rebels, with Russia’s state-funded news agency, Russia Today (RT), saying that Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence (HUR) has been “training local Tuareg separatist militants, as well as covertly bringing at least two groups of them to Ukraine to teach them to use FPV drones,” citing Wagner-affiliated Telegram channel GREY ZONE.

However, CSP-DPA’s spokesperson rejected claims that it received assistance from Ukraine or other foreign powers in August.

Kyiv Post’s source noted the tendency for Moscow to blame its mishaps in Africa on Ukraine.

“Russian propagandists continue talking about the involvement of the head of Ukrainian intelligence, Kyrylo Budanov, in everything that happens to their terrorists in Africa.”

Recap of July’s clashes

Between July 25 to 27, the Tuareg rebels ambushed, surrounded and destroyed a column of government troops and Wagner mercenaries near Tinzaouaten. 

The rebels’ preliminary estimations stated that Malian troops suffered about a dozen losses, with Wagner losing 54 of its troops in addition to 7 government troops taken captive. The number of captured Russians is estimated to be between 5 and 15.

Additionally, the CSP-DPA also claimed to have shot down a Russian Mi-8 helicopter with a heavy machine gun, resulting in the death of the helicopter commander and injuries to his onboard technician. Another Mi-24 helicopter, which was providing fire support to government forces, was also damaged. 

Russian losses in the July clashes were the largest during Wagner’s presence in Africa, informed sources told Kyiv Post.

Following the clashes, Kyiv Post obtained an exclusive photo from sources in Ukraine’s defense and security sector allegedly showing Tuareg rebels posing with a Ukrainian flag, likely photographed prior to the clashes.

Wagner presence in the Middle East and Africa

On Sept. 15, exclusive footage from Kyiv Post sources appears to show HUR special forces attacking a Russian base in Syria, near Aleppo, where Moscow was producing and testing drones.

In June, Kyiv Post obtained an exclusive video allegedly showing Ukrainian special forces working with Syrian rebels to decimate Russian mercenaries in Syria.

In February, Kyiv Post obtained exclusive video allegedly showing Ukrainian special forces interrogating captured Wagner mercenaries in the Republic of Sudan. In the video, the prisoners admit that their task had been to go to Sudan and overthrow the government there.

In January, Kyiv Post published an exclusive video allegedly showing Ukrainian drones destroying “Russian mercenaries” and their “local terrorist partners” in Sudan.

And in November 2023, Kyiv Post obtained an exclusive video allegedly showing Ukrainian special forces performing “cleaning up” operations of Wagner fighters in Sudan.