Violence in the Sahel

IS leader killed by government forces in Mali

Junta troops in Mali have killed a high-ranking IS leader in the northern parts of the country, writes the African news agency APA.

Souleymane Ag Bakawa, better known by his nom de guerre “Soldier”, has been identified as a key player for the IS terror group in the Sahel region. He is considered an important ideologue and expert in improvised explosive devices, according to the website Sahel Intelligence.

He was recently identified as responsible for the attack in which a military base in Niger was attacked by over 200 men on motorcycles, and at least 34 soldiers died.

Mali’s military junta, like many other governments in the region, is waging a low-intensity war against various jihadist militia groups.

Wagner group accused of kidnappings in Mali

At least 81 men from the Fulani ethnic group have been abducted by the Wagner group and government forces in Mali, according to Human Rights Watch. Another 11 people are said to have been executed, writes Africa News.

The incidents are said to have occurred during joint military campaigns.

– The military junta is ultimately responsible for the summary executions and kidnappings carried out by the army and its allies in the Wagner Group, says investigator Ilaria Allegrozzi at Human Rights Watch.

In recent years, the Wagner Group has established itself in several African countries, including Mali, which has been ruled by a military junta since 2020.