Over 13,000 Flee Mali as Violence Involving Russian Africa Corps Escalates

More than 13,000 Malians have fled to southeastern Mauritania since October 2025 as civilians in central Mali remain trapped between jihadist militants, Malian troops, and Russian fighters from Africa Corps, the Kremlin-controlled force that replaced Wagner, according to Sri Lanka Guardian on March 31.

The outlet noted that the latest wave of displacement has been driven by intensifying violence in central Mali, where residents face pressure from Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin, an Al Qaeda-linked group, as well as operations by the Malian army and Africa Corps .

Most of those escaping have crossed into Mauritania’s Hodh Ech Chargi region, where Malian refugees now account for nearly the entire refugee population.

Many families fled on foot because drone strikes made travel by vehicle too dangerous, the article noted. Witnesses described marketplaces coming under attack, homes and shops set ablaze, and civilians shot while trying to escape.

Human Rights Watch has documented unlawful killings and the destruction of civilian property during counterinsurgency operations involving Malian forces and Russian personnel, it added.

“They shot at everyone,” a survivor identified as Mentou stated, recalling an attack on the village of Boflusa in November 2025.

The violence has escalated since September 2025, when JNIM began disrupting fuel supplies to Bamako and other towns, the article noted.

The crisis deepened after Mali’s military rulers, who came to power after coups beginning in 2020, shifted away from foreign partners and expanded cooperation with Russian-linked forces after Wagner’s rebranding into Africa Corps.

Most displaced people are ending up at Mbera refugee camp, around 60 kilometers from the border, where aid groups are struggling to meet growing needs.

More than 80% of the new arrivals are women and children, while humanitarian agencies have warned of mounting risks of trafficking, exploitation, and sexual violence as resources remain under severe strain.

The violence also unfolds alongside wider Russian efforts to build influence across Africa through non-military channels.

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Russia’s Orthodox Church has rapidly expanded across Africa, growing from operations in four countries to a presence in 34 in less than three years, according to Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation.

Following the Church’s December 2021 decision to establish a Patriarchal Exarchate of Africa, it has reportedly registered about 350 parishes and communities and enlisted more than 270 clergy members.

According to the Center, those structures are being used to spread anti-Western narratives and build networks more receptive to Moscow’s political goals.

It also warned that as the Church extends its reach, Russia is stepping up efforts to recruit African nationals for defense-sector work and for the war against Ukraine.

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