MALI – JULY, 2026 Tuareg rebels from the Front for the Liberation of Azawad (FLA) announced that they shot down a Russian Mi-24 attack helicopter during fighting in northern Mali. The incident reportedly occurred during an ambush on a joint convoy of the Malian army and members of the Russian Africa Corps that was traveling from the city of Gao toward Anefis. The rebels claim that the helicopter was providing air support for the convoy when it was hit and crashed. These claims have not yet been independently verified.
Northern Mali has been the scene of armed clashes between government forces, Tuareg separatists, and Islamist groups linked to al-Qaeda and the so-called Islamic State for many years. Following the withdrawal of French forces, Mali’s military government increasingly began relying on Russian support. In addition to military equipment deliveries, members of the Russian Africa Corps are also operating in the country, having taken over part of the activities previously carried out by the Wagner Group. Their mission is to provide training, protect strategic facilities, and support the Malian army in operations against armed groups. Despite this, the conflict in the north of the country continues, and the security situation remains highly unstable.
