Mali/Mauritania: Eyewitnesses have recounted harrowing accounts of atrocities allegedly committed by Russian mercenaries in Mali, where the Wagner Group and its successor, Africa Corps, have been involved in counter-insurgency operations against Islamist militants.
A former shopkeeper, identified as Ahmed, told the BBC how two men were murdered in front of him by the mercenaries, who then threatened to kill him as well. His ordeal began in August 2024 in Nampala, when Wagner fighters accused his boss of collaborating with jihadists, detained him, and subjected him to repeated torture. Ahmed described being submerged in water, beaten, and confined in small spaces alongside other detainees. He narrowly survived after a commander intervened, later fleeing with his family to a refugee camp in Mauritania.
Ahmed’s testimony is one of several collected by the BBC, showing a pattern of abuse that included executions, torture, and intimidation, often carried out in the presence of Malian soldiers. Other survivors, like Youssouf, described being beaten, tied, and subjected to psychological terror.
The Wagner mercenaries reportedly documented some of their atrocities on private Telegram channels, sharing photos and videos showing murder, torture, and desecration of corpses, according to reports from the European Council on Foreign Relations and Africa Report. Wagner officially withdrew from Mali in June 2025, with most fighters absorbed into Africa Corps, which continues operations under Russia’s defence ministry. Analysts note that early indications suggest Africa Corps is “less predatory” than Wagner, though human rights concerns persist.
The conflict has displaced nearly 50,000 people to refugee camps in Mauritania. Survivors recount profound trauma and loss, including the deaths of family members and neighbors in violent attacks.
Human rights groups and eyewitnesses have called for accountability for the mercenaries, urging that those responsible for extrajudicial killings and torture be brought to justice. Ahmed described the experience as life-altering, leaving lasting psychological scars.
