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 […]
The International Criminal Court (ICC) is reviewing a confidential legal brief accusing the Russia-linked Wagner Group of committing war crimes in West Africa — not only through acts of extreme violence but by promoting them online. The brief, submitted by legal experts from UC Berkeley, contends that Wagner’s dissemination of graphic content — showing beheadings, […]
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has expressed willingness to engage in direct dialogue with the M23 rebel group, signaling a shift in its stance toward resolving the ongoing conflict in the eastern part of the country. This decision comes after years of resistance to negotiations and follows a series of successful military offensives by […]
Three Chadian journalists remain in pre-trial custody after being arrested earlier this month on charges of colluding with Russia’s Wagner paramilitary group, prompting warning about the government’s “broader crackdown” on critical voices in the landlocked Sahel country. The journalists, including Radio France Internationale’s Chad correspondent Olivier Monodji, are accused of espionage, conspiracy, and undermining Chad’s […]
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 […]
Human rights advocates and local politicians in the Central African Republic (CAR) have accused Russia-backed mercenaries for being behind the disappearance of two soldiers, amid a mountain evidence pointing to crimes, including murder, torture, execution, abductions, rape, theft, that are credibly linked to Wagner forces and their successor entities. The two soldiers, ,Celestin Bakoyo and […]
The recent withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger from the regional ECOWAS bloc has drawn attention to the escalating security crisis in the Sahel region where JNIM, an umbrella coalition of aligned groups, is fast emerging as a dominant jihadist force. These countries, now members of the newly formed Alliance of Sahel States (AES), […]
Russia has reportedly delivered military equipment, including tanks, armored vehicles, and artillery systems to Mali, which observers suspect may have been moved there from Syria following the departure of Russian troops after the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime. According to reports from Defense Web, Africa’s leading defense news portal, Mali could be another recipient of […]
Eight Tuareg rebel leaders have reportedly been killed by drone strikes on a town in Mali’s north that was carried out by the country’s military regime at a time when the Tuareg factions were discussing how to form a united military and political structure. “Several synchronized drone strikes martyred some Azawad leaders on 1 December […]
With the United States in the process of withdrawing its 1,000 troops from Niger and also about 75 from neighboring Chad, Western military officials and experts are concerned that violent extremist groups are growing in size and influence across Africa, posing a threat to the US and Western allies. A recent UN Security Council “Arria-formula” […]