Wagner paramilitary group admits losses in ‘fierce battles’ in Mali

ISTANBUL

Wagner paramilitary group on Monday conceded in a rare statement that its troops and Malian forces took losses during “fierce battles” with rebels and al-Qaeda in Mali.

The statement released on Telegram said that the paramilitary group and servicemen of the Malian Armed Forces (FAM) fought “fierce battles” with Tuareg rebels and al-Qaeda on July 22-27 near the border commune of Tinzaouaten in northeastern Mali.

It said the Wagner detachment in the area was commanded by Sergey Shevchenko, saying that his call sign was "Pond."

On the first day, Pond’s group destroyed most of the al-Qaeda terrorists and put the rest to fight, the statement said, adding: “However, the onset of a sandstorm allowed the radicals to regroup and increase their numbers to 1,000 people.”

The statement further said that rebels attacked Wagner forces again on July 25, but that this attack was repelled together with Malian military personnel.

“Over the next two days, the radicals increased the number of massive attacks, using heavy weapons, drones and suicide vehicles, which resulted in losses on the part of Wagner and FAM soldiers,” it added.

The statement went on to say that the last message sent by the group commanded Pond was received on July 27, adding that he was killed.

On Sunday, the Coordination of Azawad Movements (CMA) claimed it won a major victory over the Malian army and Wagner forces near Tinzaouaten, located on the country’s border with Algeria.

Mali has been fighting an insurgency linked to al-Qaeda and Daesh/ISIS since 2012 when unrest erupted in the north of the country.

In 2015, the government signed a peace agreement with several rebel groups in a bid to curb the violence.

But last August, fighting erupted between the separatists and the Mali government troops after eight years of lull, as the UN peacekeepers began to withdraw from the West African country.

There were also global and regional concerns over developments in Mali as a military coup overthrew the civilian government in 2020.