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Mali russian forces fail to secure territory amid rising civilian violence

Mariama Hamani
Politics
July 6, 2026
0 Comments

Listen now1 min

Defense / Security • Strategy

Mali’s security crisis deepens as Russian-backed forces struggle to regain control

Field report

Updated on

July 6, 2026

Reading time: 3 min

Malian soldiers in Gao during a military operation

Bamako’s gamble on Russian military support to reclaim control over its territory is yielding increasingly disappointing results. After the well-documented failures of Wagner Group, its successor—Africa Corps—is now forced to overhaul its strategy following a string of setbacks. Meanwhile, mounting evidence of escalating violence against civilians raises serious questions about the alliance’s military effectiveness and humanitarian cost.