Mali Bound

With Wagner stepping aside, the Africa Corps is moving in, bringing structure and legitimacy to Moscow’s support for Bamako. Touareg leaders, fearing a more efficient and state-backed force, have begun testing quiet understandings with jihadist factions like GSIM. It’s not a formal alliance, but a sign of growing desperation in a region where alliances shift quickly and survival often overrides ideology.

What’s happening to the Fulani in the Sahel isn’t just war — it’s collective punishment. This is the story no one wants to tell.

Russia has replaced the Wagner Group in Mali with its new Africa Corps, signaling a shift toward a more controlled and official military presence focused on training and intelligence. While the tactics may look different, Moscow’s long-term ambitions in the region remain very much the same—just better dressed.

Mali’s ruling junta has officially suspended all political party activities, marking the most sweeping crackdown yet on democratic institutions since the 2020 coup.