Mali is a landlocked country in West Africa, with Bamako as its capital. Known for its prolonged jihadist insurgency, Tuareg separatism in the north, and a post-coup military junta that expelled French forces in favor of Russian security partnerships. Recently, Mali has seen escalating rebel advances, jihadist attacks, and deteriorating security despite Russian Africa Corps presence. Last updated Jul 6th, 2026
During an ambush on a Russian convoy departing the city of Gao, rebel forces in Mali shot down a Russian Africa Corps (Wagner) Mi-24 attack helicopter.
On April 25, a coalition of jihadist and Tuareg rebel forces launched a major offensive across northern Mali, capturing Kidal and forcing Russian Africa Corps troops to withdraw from one of their most symbolic strongholds.
Since then, Alge...
On April 25, a coalition of jihadist and Tuareg rebel forces launched a major offensive across northern Mali, capturing Kidal and forcing Russian Africa Corps troops to withdraw from one of their most symbolic strongholds.
Since then, Algeria has walked a delicate line. While publicly backing Mali's territorial integrity and condemning the offensive, Algiers reportedly helped negotiate the safe withdrawal of Russian forces from Kidal.
Algeria is in a unique position in the Sahel. Despite years of tensions with Mali's government, border disputes, and accusations of support for Tuareg rebels, Algeria remains one of the few actors with influence across multiple sides of the conflict.
For Bamako, the fall of Kidal exposed the limits of its military strategy and reliance on Russian support. For Algeria, it reinforced a longstanding argument that northern Mali cannot be stabilized through force alone.
Algeria has a long and complicated history with Islamist armed and militant groups across the region. With its growing influence over events in northern Mali, some now see the country as turning Mali into its latest arena for regional power projection.
