Mariama Hamani
« C’est un échec » : au Mali, la débâcle d’Africa Corps, vitrine militaire de Vladimir Poutine
The strategic loss of Kidal, a vital Tuareg stronghold recaptured in 2023, delivers a harsh blow to Russian forces. This setback for Africa Corps, a key military showcase for Vladimir Putin in Africa, significantly tarnishes the Kremlin’s projection of power.
What transpired on Sunday, April 26th, in Kidal, northern Mali, resembled a rout. A convoy of military pick-up trucks hurriedly departed the area amidst the triumphant cheers of Tuareg rebels from the Front de libération de l’Azawad (FLA). These vehicles carried members of Africa Corps, Russia’s armed contingent supporting the Malian junta. While the withdrawal occurred without direct confrontation, a result of a prior agreement, it came at a clear cost of humiliation. As reported by France 24, the soldiers were disarmed and individually enumerated before relinquishing their strategic position.
Before their eyes, the jubilant rebels defiantly waved a French flag. This act served as a potent provocation and a pointed reference to the region’s recent past. Djenabou Cissé, an associate researcher at the Fondation pour la recherche stratégique, highlighted that “the only genuine strategic success Russia had achieved since its arrival in Mali in 2021 was precisely the capture of Kidal, a historical Tuareg stronghold.” Its subsequent fall is now widely seen as a significant repudiation of their efforts.
Boureima Amadou
