Russia vows to keep forces in Mali despite warning from separatists to withdraw

Russia said on Thursday its forces would remain in Mali and continue backing the country's military rulers, rejecting demands from Tuareg separatists to withdraw after surprise attacks forced Russian troops out of a key northern town.

Alongside jihadist forces, Tuareg rebels launched coordinated attacks across the country last weekend. 

The offensive forced Russia's Africa Corps paramilitary unit to pull out of Kidal, a strategic northern town that Russian forces helped the Malian army recapture from Tuareg rebels in 2023, prompting speculation about a wider pull-out.

A Kremlin spokesperson denied Russian forces were planning to leave Mali. “Russia is present there in connection with the necessity declared by the authorities,” Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Thursday.

“Russia will continue, including in Mali, to fight against extremism, terrorism and other negative manifestations. And it will continue to provide assistance to the current authorities.”

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Tribute to defence minister

Russian paramilitary forces provide key support to Mali's military junta, which has been in power since 2020 and is battling insurgents in a long-running conflict in the north.

Defence Minister Sadio Camara, a central figure in the military government and the driving force behind Mali's partnership with Russian mercenaries, was killed in an attack on his residence on Saturday.

On Thursday, a ceremony was held to commemorate Camara, who was killed when a truck packed with explosives was driven into his compound in Kati, outside the capital, Bamako.

The service at the military engineering battalion's grounds in Bamako was attended by the defence ministers of Niger and Burkina Faso, which, together with Mali, form the Alliance of Sahel States.

Dressed in combat fatigues, junta leader Assimi Goita paid tribute to Camara by bowing before his coffin, draped in Mali's flag. 

The minister's funeral service was due to take place later on Thursday.

The 47-year-old, who received military training in Russia, was widely regarded as the architect of the junta's turn towards Moscow and away from former colonial ruler France.

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Separatist warning

Kati was one of a number of strategic junta positions that were attacked on Saturday by jihadist fighters from JNIM, a group linked to Al-Qaeda, and Tuareg separatists from the Azawad Liberation Front, or FLA.

A spokesperson for the FLA said it wanted Russia to "withdraw permanently" from all its positions in Mali.

During a visit to Paris on Wednesday, spokesman Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane told French news agency AFP that the rebels intend to take control of other strongholds including Gao and Timbuktu.

"The regime will fall, sooner or later," he said.
Mali has faced a security crisis since 2012, fuelled by violence from groups linked to Al-Qaeda and Islamic State, as well as separatist movements and criminal gangs.

Like neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger, Mali has shifted politically and militarily towards Moscow.

Russia's Africa Corps is overseen by the defence ministry in Moscow and succeeded the Wagner paramilitary force, whose founder Yevgeny Prigozhin died in a plane crash in August 2023, two months after leading a mutiny against Russia's military leadership.

(with newswires)