Weapons and Equipment Analysis: Al-Qaeda and Tuareg Militants Claim Ambush on Wagner Forces in Mali

On July 27, Russian Wagner Group fighters traveling with the Malian Army (FAMa) were ambushed by Taureg militants and later Al-Qaeda in Mali. In Wagner’s worst defeat in the region, approximately 50 Russians were killed in the attack while multiple others were captured. The incident quickly drew reactions from the online Russian military sphere, blaming various parties for the failure, while Ukraine sought to claim involvement. The spokesman for Ukraine’s GUR military intelligence agency, Andrii Yusov, said: “the rebels received necessary information, and not just information, which enabled a successful military operation against Russian war criminals”. Adding to the confusion, the CSP (Permanent Strategic Framework for the Defense and Protection of Azawad) and JNIM (Al-Qaeda) issued competing claims of responsibility.

Weapons and Vehicles
In the attacks carried out first by the CSP and then by JNIM, the Wagner Group and the Malian Army lost a large number of weapons and vehicles.

The most notable of these vehicles is the Mil Mi-series helicopter, which was destroyed when it crashed under fire from the Azawad militia.

In addition to the helicopter, multiple Norinco VP11 MRAPs obtained from China by the Malian Army were also captured or destroyed by the Azawad militia.