An embarrassing setback for Moscow’s Africa Corps has unfolded in northern Mali. On April 26, in the city of Kidal, footage emerged showing Russian mercenaries hastily retreating from positions held by the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (GSIM)—an Al-Qaeda affiliate—and Touareg rebel factions from the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA). Videos shared widely on social media depicted the mercenaries being disarmed and loaded onto trucks under GSIM pressure, abandoning dozens of armored vehicles and helicopters in the process. Several Malian soldiers were also captured during brief clashes.

This retreat follows a weekend of coordinated attacks by GSIM militants across multiple Malian cities, including Bamako, Kati, and Gao. The assaults targeted strategic juncta-held locations, with Bamako’s outskirts and the Kati military base—home to Mali’s primary army headquarters—among the hardest hit. At least six urban centers faced simultaneous offensives, signaling a significant escalation in the conflict.

a symbolic reversal for Moscow

By Monday, Africa Corps, the Kremlin-controlled paramilitary group that replaced Wagner in 2025, officially confirmed its withdrawal from Kidal. The move marks a humiliating reversal for Russian forces, who had proudly seized the city in November 2023 under Wagner’s banner—a skull-and-crossbones flag raised as a symbol of their alleged victory. “Kidal was the only real strategic success Russia had delivered since its 2021 Mali deployment,” noted Djenabou Cissé, a researcher at the Foundation for Strategic Research. “Its fall exposes the fragility of Moscow’s military showcase.”

The sudden collapse of Russian-backed defenses has left local observers questioning the effectiveness of Africa Corps. Since Wagner’s arrival in 2021 and Africa Corps’ takeover in 2025, violence has surged, with civilians bearing the brunt. Reports from Le Monde and the Washington Post document a rise in sexual violence linked to Malian security forces and their Russian allies, contradicting claims of improved security.

junta under siege

Mali’s military junta, which seized power in a 2021 coup, has increasingly relied on Russian mercenaries to counter jihadist advances. Yet the strategy has backfired. According to Wassim Nasr, a specialist in jihadist movements, “Russian mercenaries—whether under Wagner or Africa Corps—have long proven ineffective as counterterrorism partners.” The latest assaults have only underscored these shortcomings.

On Sunday, videos from across Mali captured the GSIM’s rapid advances: the storming of Kidal’s governor’s office, unopposed entry into Bamako’s outskirts, and a bomb strike on the home of Defense Minister Sadio Camara in Kati, killing him during the offensive. The attacks have tightened the noose around the capital, with jihadists reportedly imposing economic blockades to strangle Bamako’s supply lines.

voices of betrayal

Mali’s Prime Minister Abdoulaye Maïga paid tribute to the slain minister, while junta leader Assimi Goïta declared the situation “under control” and vowed to neutralize all attackers. However, skepticism lingers. An unnamed Malian officer told RFI that local authorities had warned Africa Corps three days before the assault, yet no defensive measures were taken. “They had already negotiated their exit,” the officer said, hinting at a possible abandonment of other northern strongholds.

Moscow has yet to address the allegations directly. During a daily press briefing on April 28, Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov declined to comment on Africa Corps’ ability to regain control. He did, however, claim that Russian forces had foiled a coup attempt by FLA and GSIM militants, as reported by Reuters.