Russia's Wagner Group Replaced by Africa Corps in Sahel Region

The Wagner Group, a Russian mercenary outfit founded by Yevgeny Prigozhin, has been replaced by Africa Corps in the Sahel region of Central Africa. Despite the name change, the group's presence in the region remains, and its influence is growing.

Why this matters: The expanding presence of Russian mercenaries in the Sahel region has significant implications for global security and counterterrorism efforts, as it may lead to a shift in the balance of power in the region. This development also raises concerns about the potential for Russia to exert greater influence over African countries and their resources.

The Wagner Group, known for its role in Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine, has been operating in the Sahel region since 2017. The group has been hired by former French colonies, including Mali, to battle Islamist terrorists and other insurgent groups. The French, who had been leading the fight against jihadists in the Sahel, have been booted out by military juntas that have taken power in these countries.

The Wagner Group has direct ties to the Russian government, giving Russia political leverage across Africa and access to new sources of wealth, including gold mines. Africa Corps, the group's new name, has been operating in Mali, where it has taken control of a Canadian-owned gold mine valued at over $1 billion. In the Central African Republic, Africa Corps has taken back territory from rebels and stopped an advance on the capital.

The group's initial approach to the Malian government was clear:"There is a military solution to the return of Kidal and the north, and we'll help you get there. "According to John Lechner, author of "Death Is Our Business: Russian Mercenaries in the New Era of Private Warfare,""They were going to go after both the terrorists and Tuareg separatists. That was their major selling point."

The Wagner Group first showed up in Africa in 2017, training troops for the Sudanese dictator Omar al-Bashir. In 2018, the Central African Republic invited about 1,000 Wagner fighters to help stanch a rebellion. A coup toppled Mali's democratically elected government in 2020, and the new junta began to work with Africa Corps.

The regimes that hire Africa Corps are forced to surrender a measure of their sovereignty and resources to a foreign army that heeds no laws except its own. The group's presence has led to a Faustian bargain, where local governments receive help in putting down insurgencies but must give up control over their resources and territory.

In a significant development, Russia has moved troops onto us, military, base in Niger, where a small number of U.S. forces remain, after most American troops left the base in Niamey, the nation's capital. This move comes three weeks after Niger's decision to order out all U.S. troops, dealing a blow to U.S. military operations in the Sahel region.

Russian trainers arrived in Niger about three weeks ago, with an unknown number of troops now located on the other side of the Niamey facility, known as Airbase 101. Approximately 1,000 U.S. troops remain in Niger, with the bulk relocated to Airbase 201 near Agadez, 920 kilometers away from the capital, after mutinous soldiers ousted the country's democratically elected president in July 2023.

The ruling junta in Niger asked French forces to leave and turned to the Russian mercenary group Wagner for security assistance in October 2023. Washington officially designated the military takeover as a coup in October 2023, triggering U.S. laws restricting military support and aid to Niger. Diplomatic efforts to restore ties have been unsuccessful.

The U.S. will relocate most of the approximately 100 forces deployed in neighboring Chad for now, with Chad considering whether to continue its security agreement with the U.S. Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, Pentagon press secretary, stated that the departure from Chad "is a temporary step as part of the ongoing review of our security cooperation, which will resume after Chad's May 6th presidential election."

Russia's move into Niger and the replacement of the Wagner Group by Africa Corps in the Sahel region highlight the shifting dynamics and growing Russian influence in Central Africa. As the U.S. and France face challenges in maintaining their military presence and partnerships in the region, Russia appears poised to fill the void and expand its foothold through the deployment of private military contractors. The long-term implications of

Key Takeaways

• Russia's Africa Corps replaces Wagner Group in Sahel region, expanding Russian influence.
• Africa Corps takes control of $1B Canadian-owned gold mine in Mali, gaining wealth and leverage.
• Russia deploys troops to Niger, taking over US military base, after Niger orders out US troops.
• US relocates troops from Niger to Chad, reviewing security cooperation amid shifting regional dynamics.
• Russia's private military contractors fill void left by US and France, expanding Russian influence in Africa.