Russian Mercenaries Flee Mali, Jihadists Advance

0:00On April 28th, Jihadis and Twareg separatists hit Mali hard over the weekend with coordinated attacks across the north, center, and near the capital, Bamako. Russian mercenaries backing the military junta got forced out of the key desert town of Kadal, and the defense minister Sadio Kamara died in a car. Bomb at his home, along with family members, this is a major setback after Mali ditched French troops and UN peacekeepers for Moscow's help. Mali has been battling insurgents since at least 2011, when rebels took towns like Timbuk II and Gao. The Hontar brought in Wagner group fighters, starting late 2021, then switched to the Africa Corps, but up to 2000 Russians. Couldn't hold the line against groups like J&M, tied to Al-Qaeda. Analysts are calling this a straight up humiliation for Putin and Russia. They point to pass flops, like dozens of mercenaries killed in a Twareg ambush near the Algerian border earlier this year. Experts say the smaller Russian force just can't cover the huge territory, like the French

1:04and UN did before. The Africa Corps confirmed pulling out of Kadal with Mali and soldiers, and separatists now claim full control there after a deal. Hontar leader General Assimi Guita hasn't shown up publicly since, staying in a secure spot. Still, no signs of collapse, as folks rally against Jihadist rule. This shows Jihadist reaching deep into Mali's core, testing governments across the Sahel like Niger and Burkina Faso too. Russia's Africa push is stumbling, leaving the region even shakier.