Russia's "Wagneri" says it suffered losses in the fighting against Mali's rebels

The Russian mercenary group "Wagner" announced on Monday that its fighters and soldiers from Mali suffered losses in heavy fighting against the "Tuareg" rebels, on the border of Mali near Algeria, reports "Reuters".

Mali, where military authorities seized power in coups in 2020 and 2021, is battling a years-long Islamist insurgency. 

According to them, the Russian forces there are not "Wagner" mercenaries, but trainers who help the local troops with the equipment brought from Russia.

The rebel movement, the Permanent Strategic Framework for Peace, Security and Development (CSP-PSD), has reported raiding armored vehicles, trucks and tanks in the fighting in the border town of Tinzaouaten.

"Wagner", in a statement, has announced that his forces fought alongside soldiers from Mali from July 22 to 27 and that the "Wagner" fighters were commanded by Sergei Shevchenko, known as "Pond".

"On the first day, the 'Pond Group' destroyed most of the Islamists and forced the others to surrender," wrote "Wagner" on Telegram. "However, a sandstorm allowed the radicals to regroup and increase their numbers to 1000 people."

"Wagner" has announced that the fighters stopped the attack again, but according to him, there were losses in the army of Mali and the fighters of "Wagner".

In the last message from the "Wagner" group, on July 27, it is said "we continue to fight".
According to "Wagner", Shevchenko was killed.

The army of Mali announced in a statement that two of its soldiers were killed and 10 others were wounded.