First Independent Mena Newspaper
Tensions within Mali’s military have intensified following revelations that Russian mercenaries from the Wagner Group — and their successor, the Africa Corps — have disrupted military cohesion, undermined counterterrorism efforts, and fostered deep resentment among Malian forces. A new investigative report by The Sentry, an investigative research group, reveals that Wagner, which arrived after Mali’s […]
Mali’s military regime has reportedly arrested over 40 soldiers, including two high-ranking generals, for allegedly attempting to overthrow the government. The mass arrests, described by a source within the army as a response to an “attempt at destabilization,” signal deepening tensions within the ruling military leadership led by Colonel Assimi Goïta. Among the detained are […]
The Central African Republic (CAR) is resisting Russian pressure to replace the Wagner Group with the Kremlin’s newly formed Africa Corps, amid demands for cash payments rather than the mineral-for-security model that has long defined the partnership. According to senior officials in Bangui, Russia’s Deputy Defense Minister made several visits this year urging CAR to […]
Russia has officially transitioned its military operations in the Sahel from the shadowy Wagner Group to a state-controlled force known as Africa Corps, according to a new report by the Dakar-based Timbuktu Institute. Following Wagner’s formal withdrawal from Mali on 6 June 2025, Africa Corps was deployed the next day by Russia’s Ministry of Defense. […]
Russia is intensifying efforts to boost its presence in Africa through expanded military and economic partnerships, even as its actual investments on the continent continue to lag behind lofty geopolitical ambitions. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed this week that Russia’s presence in Africa is “growing,” with new emphasis on “sensitive areas such as defense and […]
Following the death of Yevgeny Prigozhin and the collapse of the Wagner Group, Russia has recalibrated its strategy in Africa, maintaining influence through a mix of rebranding, expansion, and diversification, according to a new study by The Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime. The study by the Geneva-based organization notes that Moscow has quickly reassured […]
Leaders across Africa and the Middle East are watching carefully the successful rebel offensive on Aleppo in Syria, experts and observers say, as this could create big problems for Russians and its so-called Africa Corps on the African continent. Experts and observers say that if the rebel offensive launched in the Syrian province of Aleppo […]
The UK government has announced dozens of new sanctions against Russia, targeting three private mercenary groups in Africa, linked to the Kremlin, and eleven people involved in the Ukraine war and associated with a nerve agent attack on British soil. “Today’s action disrupts the supply of vital equipment for Putin’s war machine and bears down […]
After Wagner Group’s collapse in mid 2023, Russian President Vladimir Putin has recently launched a new Africa Corps, with 100 military staff officially deployed to Burkina Faso, with the aim to continue serving Russia’s interests on the continent — unofficially. While the war in Ukraine continues unabated, the depth of the ties between Burkina Faso […]