Yesterday, I posted about the news going around that the hybrid Russian PMC Wagner Group was leaving Mali, ‘Is the Hybrid Russian PMC Wagner Group Really Leaving Mali?‘ There were a lot of questions and some confusion. As some reports indicated, and as some of us thought, the contract with Wagner technically ended; however, The Africa Corps (TAC), which is Wagner rebranded, was now taking on a new contract specifically under the new entity name. It’s all about the wording in contracts, as well as practicality and convenience.
While many continued to call Wagner Group in Mali “Wagner Group” despite it having been technically disbanded, and news that TAC had taken over operations in Africa, I suspect that the contract remained under the name of ‘Wagner Group’ for convenience, but it was TAC, i.e. Wagner 2.0, that ran the show in Mali all along. (When Wagner was disbanded, the new entity fell under direct control of the MOD.)
In other words, it’s pretty much the same Wagner people running the rebranded entity TAC before this announcement of Wagner leaving Mali, and the same people running the show now under the new contract designed explicitly for TAC with a new scope of work (that includes downsizing).
I’m speculating that the downsizing could be because the PMCs have not been very successful in Mali, and possibly because it’s been a drain on military resources for Russia, while Mali under President Goita is now in the Kremlin’s pocket.
Nonetheless, Russia needs Malian resources, and they want to continue to maintain their strategic position; they are not going to completely give up their presence in the country.
So, Wagner, the long-defunct company, is officially and technically finished in Mali, and “leaving”, while TAC, being run by the same Wagner people who have been there all along, are now “officially” in operation. It’s lipstick on a pig…
DW — Russia’s Wagner Group leaves Mali, Africa Corps will stay
Russia’s mercenary group Wagner said that it is leaving Mali after helping reestablish the Malian junta’s control over regional centers.
The Russia-backed Wagner Group of mercenaries on Friday said that it is leaving Mali after more than three and a half years of fighting Islamist insurgents in the country.
Despite the announcement by Wagner, Russia will continue to have its presence in Mali as the Africa Corps, a paramilitary force also controlled by Russia, will continue to stay in the country.
Why is Wagner Group leaving Mali?
The Africa Corps said on its Telegram channel that Wagner’s departure would not introduce any changes, and the Russian contingent will remain in Mali.
“Mission accomplished. Private Military Company Wagner returns home,” the group announced via its channel on the messaging app Telegram.
The Wagner Group has been in Mali since the army expelled the French and United Nations troops that were fighting Islamic insurgents for a decade.
With waning Western influence in the region, Russia has rushed in to fill the gap and offer assistance.
Wagner said that it has successfully brought all of the country’s regional centers back under the control of the Malian military junta.
What do we know about the Africa Corps?
The Africa Corps was formed with the Russian Defense Ministry’s support after Wagner founder Yevgeny Prigozhin and commander Dmitry Utkin led a failed military mutiny against the Russian army leadership and left Russia for Belarus with other mercenaries. Prigozhin was later killed in a plane crash north of Moscow, with US officials suggesting that a bomb or sabotage on board brought down the plane.
About 70-80% of the Africa Corps group is made up of former Wagner mercenaries, according to several Telegram chats used by Russian mercenaries seen by Reuters news agency.
Around 2,000 mercenaries are deployed in Mali. It is unclear how many are with Wagner and how many are part of the Africa Corps, according to US officials.
To read more and see the video (interview with Wagner expert John Lechner), go to: https://www.dw.com/en/russias-wagner-group-leaves-mali-africa-corps-will-stay/a-72829045
NBC News: Wagner Group leaving Mali after heavy losses but Russia’s Africa Corps to remain: https://www.nbcnews.com/world/africa/wagner-group-leaving-mali-heavy-losses-russia-africa-corps-remain-rcna211591
A very nice piece…..What’s the saying, everything changes, but still, everything remains the same…..As the situation in the Sahel and Sub-Sahara/Gulf of Guinea countries continues to further deteriorate…..