At least 6 mercenaries with Russia's Wagner group killed in an extremist attack in Mali

DAKAR, Senegal -- At least six Russian mercenaries were killed in an attack by an al-Qaida-linked group in central Mali, according to a statement by the extremists on its media platform.

The group, known by its acronym, JNIM, said it ambushed a convoy of mercenaries working for the Wagner Group on Thursday in the Mopti region, killing fighters and burning vehicles.

A Mali security official who works in the area confirmed an attack on Russian soldiers occurred on Thursday and that several people died while manning a checkpoint in the center of the country. The official spoke on condition of anonymity on Saturday because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

Russia has capitalized on deteriorating relations between the West and coup-affected Sahel nations in West Africa to send fighters and assert its influence. Wagner has been active in the Sahel, the vast expanse south of the Sahara Desert, with the mercenaries profiting from seized mineral riches in exchange for their security services.

Wagner has been present in Mali since late 2021 following a military coup, replacing French troops and international peacekeepers to help fight militants who have threatened communities in the central and northern regions for more than a decade. At the same time, Wagner has been accused of helping to carry out raids and drone strikes that have killed civilians.

The incident comes months after the deadliest attack on the group, where approximately 50 Wagner fighters were killed by an al-Qaida ambush on their convoy along the border with Algeria.