Mali troops blame Russian advisors for rising violence

The report titled 'Mercenary Meltdown' alleges frustration within Mali's security forces over the presence of Russian military advisors.

Compiled by The Sentry, a Washington-based investigative and advocacy organisation, the report claims that Malian army personnel resent their Russian counterparts, blaming them for operational mistakes resulting in the loss of equipment and personnel, and of disrespecting the command and control structure.

The report - based on interviews with officials from Mali's military, intelligence agency, finance and mines ministries - was published Wednesday.

Russian military advisors, then known as Wagner - began operating in Mali in 2022 after Bamako kicked out French forces. They have since been renamed Africa Corps.

Malian troops interviewed by The Sentry say their Russian colleagues are given preferential treatment, and prioritized in the event of medical evacuations and equipment.

Their wages are also considerably higher.

The report says that Wagner has not yet obtained any mining concessions as payment. It says Wagner has been unable to push back Islamist and separatist groups challenging the authority of the Malian state in any significant way.

"There has been a significant increase in attacks on civilians and in civilian casualties since Wagner’s arrival in Mali, and this, in turn, has severely undermined relations be-tween the Malian military and the Malian public," asserts The Sentry.

Rights groups such as the New York-based Human Rights Watch have accused the group of committing abuses.

The report calls for an International Criminal Court (ICC) investigation into possible war crimes perpetrated by Wagner forces and prosecution for rights abuses.