Gambiaj.com – (BAMAKO, Mali) – The Wagner Group, the Russian private military company long active in Mali, announced on Friday that it is withdrawing from the West African country after more than three and a half years of fighting Islamist insurgents. However, Russia’s military footprint in Mali will remain, as the Africa Corps—a newly formed paramilitary force also controlled by Russia—will stay behind to continue operations.

“Mission accomplished. Private Military Company Wagner returns home,” Wagner declared on its Telegram channel, signaling the end of its direct involvement. The Africa Corps echoed this in a separate message, saying Wagner’s departure would “not introduce any changes” to Russian operations in Mali.

Wagner fighters entered Mali in 2021, after the country’s military rulers expelled French and United Nations peacekeeping troops who had spent a decade battling Islamic extremist groups. Wagner’s presence in Mali, and in other parts of Africa, has symbolized a growing Russian influence in the region, filling the vacuum left by a retreating West.

The Africa Corps is the successor to Wagner in Africa. It was formed following the failed June 2023 mutiny led by Wagner founder Yevgeny Prigozhin and his top commander, Dmitry Utkin, against Russia’s military leadership.

Prigozhin and Utkin later relocated to Belarus with a core of loyal fighters, but both died in a suspicious plane crash near Moscow in August 2023—an incident US officials have linked to sabotage or a bomb onboard.

Despite Wagner’s exit, Mali’s military junta—which took power in 2021—continues to rely on Russian paramilitary support to hold ground against an entrenched Islamist insurgency.

According to US officials, approximately 2,000 Russian mercenaries are active in Mali, though it is unclear how many are now affiliated with the Africa Corps versus Wagner.

Analysts see the move as part of Russia’s broader effort to rebrand and consolidate its operations in Africa under tighter state control, especially after Wagner’s rebellion revealed internal fissures within Russia’s military apparatus. With about 70-80% of Africa Corps members reportedly being former Wagner fighters, continuity of tactics and Russian influence in Mali appear assured.

The withdrawal of Wagner marks the end of an era in Mali but signals no easing of Russia’s strategic ambitions across the Sahel. As Western nations recalibrate their policies, Moscow seems intent on deepening its security alliances in Africa—regardless of the name on the uniform.