Government forces face heavy attacks and withdraw from key city.

On Tuesday, the Russian Defense Ministry confirmed that rebels who attempted to seize power in Mali were trained by European and Ukrainian instructors.

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They taught them to use Western-made Stinger and Mistral portable air defense systems, commonly used to shoot down helicopters.

Moscow estimates that more than 2,500 of the approximately 12,000 rebels were killed by Malian government forces with the support of the African Corps.

This Russian state-backed expeditionary force used Su-24 aircraft, Mi-8 and Mi-24 helicopters, drones, artillery pieces and armored vehicles to repel enemy attacks.

The Russian Defense Ministry acknowledged that the situation in Mali remains complicated, which is why government forces and the African Corps, surrounded and outnumbered in the city of Kidal, had to withdraw.

Seeking to seize key infrastructure, insurgents attacked cities such as Gao, Sevare, and Bamako, the capital of the country.

Earlier, Russian authorities expressed confidence that the situation in Mali would stabilize as soon as possible and confirmed casualties among Russian paramilitary ranks. “We consider it important that peace and stability be restored as soon as possible,” Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Georgy Borisenko acknowledged casualties among Russian forces, which have been trying to repel attacks by Islamist formations since April 25. He said those groups attacked Malian army positions across the country and also struck African Corps positions.

“Over the past day, the Corps’ aviation forces have carried out several bombing strikes against identified concentrations and camps of militants,” the African Corps said, adding that it continues its mission of “combat to destroy terrorists.”

On Saturday, Bamako and several cities in Mali were targeted by intense coordinated attacks by the Azawad Liberation Front, which seeks independence for a vast desert region in the country’s north, and the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims, an al-Qaida affiliate in the Sahel. Their attacks culminated in the capture of the city of Kidal.

Malian Defense Minister Gen. Sadio Camara died in a car bomb attack in Kati, 17 kilometers from Bamako, the site of a major military base. On Monday, African Corps forces and the Malian army left the city of Kidal.

Currently, Mali is governed by a military junta led by President Assimi Goïta, who initially seized power in a 2021 coup. His government has distanced itself from the United States, expelled United Nations peacekeepers, and formed the Alliance of Sahel States with Burkina Faso and Niger.

After the withdrawal of French and international forces from Mali, Russia became involved in the fight against jihadism in the country, first through the private Wagner group and later through the African Corps, led by the Russian Defense Ministry.

teleSUR/ JF

Source: EFE

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