Over the weekend, numerous Russian mercenaries fighting for the infamous Wagner group were reportedly killed in a brutal ambush in northern Africa, specifically in Mali.
Footage examined by Fox News Digital revealed a scene of chaos, with many Russian soldiers in various states of undress, lying on top of each other near burnt vehicles, apparently lifeless after a vicious attack.
The circumstances leading up to the ambush are still unclear, but it is believed to have been carried out by Tuareg separatists targeting Wagner and Malian forces close to the Algeria border.
A large number of Wagner forces were killed in Mali following an ambush by Tuareg rebels on July 27, 2024. (East2West)
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Our troops decisively eliminated these enemy columns on Saturday,” stated Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane, spokesperson for the rebel faction in Northern Mali known as the Permanent Strategic Framework for Peace, Security, and Development, according to Al Jazeera.
“A significant amount of equipment and weapons were captured or destroyed,” Ramadane added.
The announcement mentioned that the rebel forces also took an unverified number of captives, while reporting that seven of their fighters were killed and 12 others wounded.
Various Russian media outlets reported that at least 20 Wagner soldiers were killed in the ambush, while the Malian military confirmed the death of two of its soldiers. However, some reports have indicated that the actual Russian death toll could be as high as 80.
Fox News Digital was unable to independently confirm the numbers of deceased Russian or Malian soldiers shown in the footage or whether any fighters were taken as prisoners.
A vehicle was found following a brutal ambush on Russian Wagner fighters in Mali on July 27, 2024. (East2West)
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The ambush occurred on Saturday, reportedly after several days of conflict in the Tinzaouatene region in northeast Mali.
The Wagner group, previously led by Yevgeny Prigozhin—who died in an airplane crash in August 2023 after challenging the Kremlin—has been operating alongside the Malian military since 2022, following the military’s takeover of the North African country and the expulsion of French forces.
In recent months, fighting has intensified in Mali’s northern region after the military government’s cancellation of a 2015 peace agreement with separatist forces in January.
Mali has claimed that the Russian forces present are not Wagner mercenaries but rather military trainers supporting the army in combating Islamic extremists.
A large number of Wagner forces were killed in Mali following an ambush by Tuareg rebels on July 27, 2024. (East2West)
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In an unusual update, Wagner reported via Telegram that its forces in Mali, led by commander Sergei Shevchenko—whose call sign is “Pond”—engaged in combat alongside Malian troops from July 22-27.
“On the initial day, the ‘Pond group’ eliminated most of the Islamists and caused the rest to flee,” Wagner stated on Telegram, according to a report by Reuters on Monday. “However, a following sandstorm allowed the radicals to regroup and boost their numbers to 1,000.”
Shevchenko was reported to have been killed in the clashes.
Reuters contributed to this report.
