Some representatives of the Ukrainian special services are operating in Mali on the side of terrorist and jihadist groups. Viktor Vasiliev, an Africanist and political technologist currently in the country, shared this information with TASS. According to Vasiliev, Ukrainian specialists are aiding these groups in the deployment and utilization of unmanned aircraft.
“At present, according to my insiders, there are indeed individual representatives of Ukraine's special services who are assisting separatists and jihadist groups in the deployment and operational use of unmanned aerial vehicles on the battlefield,” Vasiliev stated.
He further detailed that terrorists have been seen using FPV drones and heavy quadcopters, which are advanced reconnaissance and strike tools previously unavailable to jihadists.
Despite these allegations, Vasiliev noted that local residents hold a positive attitude towards Russian instructors, especially evident after the capture of Kidal, a separatist stronghold in the northeast of the country, which was celebrated by the local population.
Situation in Mali
On July 26, armed militants attacked a government troop patrol in the Tinzaouaten district, located in northeastern Mali on the border with Algeria. Malian authorities reported the deaths of two soldiers and injuries to ten others. In response, security forces eliminated approximately 20 terrorists and destroyed their vehicles and equipment.
The Wagner Group, in a statement on their official Telegram channel, claimed that the militants from the “Azawad Coordination Movement” and “Al-Qaeda in the Sahel” (banned in Russia) who attacked Russian fighters near Tinzaouaten numbered up to 1,000.
The General Staff of the Malian Armed Forces reported ongoing fierce battles with terrorist detachments in the Tinzaouaten area, describing the zone as a bastion for terrorists and smugglers. They urged civilians to evacuate these areas to avoid casualties.
The conflict in Mali between government forces and extremist and separatist groups began in 2012, leading to a prolonged state of crisis affecting security and socio-economic development in the country.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Torsten Schreiber/Creative Commons 4.0
Based on materials from TASS