Beheadings and Rape: Refugees Detail Atrocities by Russia's "Africa Corps" in Mali

Dozens of civilians who fled the fighting in Mali told the Associated Press (AP) that a new Russian military unit, the "Africa Corps" (which replaced the Wagner Group), is committing horrific abuses, including rape and beheadings, while cooperating with the Malian army to pursue extremists.

Africa Corps Atrocities:

• Wagner Tactics: Refugees testified that the "Africa Corps" employs the same brutal methods previously used by Wagner.

• Alleged Abuses: Accounts include beheadings, sexual assaults, arbitrary killings ("scorched earth policy"), burning villages, and mutilation of bodies (missing livers and kidneys).

• Random Killing: One village leader who fled stated: "The soldiers don't talk to anyone. They shoot anyone they see. No questions, no warning."

• Personal Testimony: A woman named Mougalwa recounted witnessing soldiers behead her 20-year-old son, Kubadi, and the subsequent kidnapping of her elder daughter, Fatima, after she was assaulted.

Accountability and Impunity:

• Direct Responsibility: Legal analysts noted that Moscow bears direct responsibility for these violations.

• Malian Government Stance: The UN independent expert on human rights in Mali, Eduardo González Cueva, reported that the Malian government deems investigations into alleged abuses "inappropriate and detrimental to troop morale," leading to accelerating violations due to impunity.

• Context: Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have sought Russian assistance to fight extremist groups, while the vast Sahel region remains the world's deadliest area for extremist activity.