Africa News of Wednesday, 31 July 2024
Source: BBC
Mali army admits 'significant' losses in Wagner battle
The army said its unit had been encircled and engaged in fierce battles with a coalition of fighters
Mali's army has admitted it suffered “significant” losses during two days of fighting involving Tuareg separatist rebels and al-Qaeda-linked militants.
It is rare for the military to own up to battlefield disasters and comes a day after its ally, the Russian mercenary Wagner group, said one of its commanders had died in the fighting that took place during a sandstorm.
Neither Mali’s military nor Wagner have given figures, but the estimated death toll for Wagner fighters ranges from between 20 and 80.
The clashes took place in the desert near Tinzaouaten, a north-eastern town on the border with Algeria.
