Mercenaries of africa corps retreat as jihadists seize control in northern Mali

An embarrassing setback unfolded in northern Mali on April 26, when Russian mercenaries from the Africa Corps—successors to the Wagner Group since 2025—were forced to withdraw from Kidal. Social media footage captured the humiliating scene: disarmed, crammed into trucks, and fleeing under pressure from the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (GSIM), an Al-Qaeda affiliate, and their Tuareg rebel allies from the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA). The hasty retreat left behind dozens of armored vehicles and helicopters in enemy hands, while several Malian soldiers were captured after brief clashes.

A day earlier, the landlocked Sahel nation had faced a wave of coordinated assaults by GSIM-affiliated jihadists, working alongside the Tuareg rebellion. These attacks targeted key juncture positions across the country, including areas around the capital, Bamako.

a humiliating reversal for africa corps

The Africa Corps, a paramilitary unit under Russia’s Defense Ministry, officially confirmed its withdrawal from Kidal on April 27. The retreat marks a major blow to the Malian junta’s allies, coming just 18 months after Wagner Group fighters had triumphantly seized the city—raising their skull-and-crossbones banner high in November 2023. “The only real strategic success Russia had achieved since arriving in Mali in 2021 was taking Kidal, a historic Tuareg stronghold,” explained Djenabou Cissé, associate researcher at the Fondation pour la recherche stratégique. “Its loss is a clear rebuke to Moscow’s military ambitions.”

The coordinated offensive by the GSIM also struck Bamako, the military hub of Kati—home to the junta’s main base—and Gao, a former UN stronghold. At least six cities came under attack during the weekend surge.

failed security partnership fuels jihadist advances

Since seizing power in a 2021 coup, Mali’s military leadership has relied on Russian mercenaries—first Wagner, now the Africa Corps—to counter the growing threat of Islamist insurgents. Yet violence has only intensified. Numerous reports from the United Nations and Human Rights Watch have documented a rise in sexual violence linked to Malian security forces and their Russian allies. “It was evident long ago that these mercenaries were ineffective as counterterrorism partners, whether under Wagner or now with Africa Corps,” noted Wassim Nasr, a journalist specializing in jihadist movements. “Saturday’s attacks only confirmed their limitations.”

Last year, the Institute for Economics & Peace ranked the Sahel as the world’s deadliest region for terrorism, with Mali at its epicenter. Since mid-2025, insurgents have tightened their grip, imposing a blockade around Bamako in a bid to strangle the economy.

from failed defense to rising dissent

Videos circulating over the weekend revealed the scope of the advance. In Kidal, jihadists stormed the governor’s office, while GSIM fighters entered Bamako unopposed. In Kati, the junta’s power base near Bamako, a bomb destroyed the home of Defense Minister Sadio Camara, who was killed in the attack.

In a rare televised address on April 28, junta leader Assimi Goïta declared the situation “under control” and vowed to continue operations “until the complete neutralization of all involved groups.” Prime Minister Abdoulaye Maïga paid tribute to Camara but offered little reassurance to a shaken population.

Local voices, however, express deep skepticism. “The Russians betrayed us in Kidal,” said a Malian officer, speaking on condition of anonymity. He claimed regional authorities had warned Africa Corps three days before the assault, yet the mercenaries took no action—allegedly negotiating their exit instead. If Russian forces continue to pull back across northern Mali, the Malian army could face further collapse.

The Kremlin’s spokesperson, Dmitri Peskov, declined to comment on Africa Corps’ ability to regain control during a daily briefing on April 28. Reuters reported that he insisted the group had prevented an attempted coup by the FLA and GSIM.