On July 25, 2024, separatist Touareg rebels, known as the CSP, ambushed a column of the Malian army and their Russian allies, the Wagner Group, in the Tinzawaten region of Northern Mali bordering Algeria. Over the next three days, the rebels, along with Islamist fighters of the JNIM, killed between 50 and 67 of the Russian mercenaries.

Starting in early August, videos documenting the activities of the Wagner Group in Africa began circulating on social media. France 24’s Observers team analysed the images and videos provided by a source with access to the Touareg combatants.

The exclusive investigation was carried out by Guillaume Maurice, a journalist with the Observers team, in collaboration with Wassim Nasr, France 24 specialist on jihadist movements. The analysis also incorporated insights from Jack Margolin, author of ‘The Wagner Group: Inside Russia’s Mercenary Army’.

A special edition dedicated to the investigation is available on france24.com and on social media platforms.

All investigations can be found on the Observers page and on the digital platform of France 24, available in English, French, Arabic, and Spanish.