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Russian-Made Mi-24 Falls Into Rebel Hands as Mali Anti-Junta Offensive Escalates
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Fighters from the Azawad Liberation Front have captured a Malian Air Force Mi-24P attack helicopter during operations in northern Mali, according to OSINT analyst Zaryon, who identified the aircraft and shared details on April 27.
The helicopter, bearing registration number TZ-07H, had been used to provide fire support to Malian ground forces in combat against insurgents.
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According to available information, Malian troops abandoned the aircraft, likely due to technical issues or damage that made it unable to take off for evacuation or continued use.
The captured helicopter was part of a batch of military equipment delivered to Mali on March 30, 2022, as part of defense cooperation with Russia. At the time, Moscow supplied two Mi-24P helicopters along with P-18 and 59N6-TE “Protivnik-GE” radar systems.
🇲🇱🇷🇺🪖 The FLA has captured what remains of a Malian Army Mil Mi-24P helicopter (registration TZ-07H).
— Zaryon OSINT (@zarGEOINT) April 27, 2026
The aircraft was supplied by Russia in 2022. https://t.co/TLC9d3kotu pic.twitter.com/0KkHTzDuBj
When the equipment was received, Mali’s combat aviation fleet consisted of 11 aircraft, all of Soviet or Russian origin. These formed a single aviation squadron, including seven older Mi-24D helicopters and four more modern Mi-35M platforms.
The seizure comes as the Azawad Liberation Front, alongside the Islamist group Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), continues an active offensive against Mali’s ruling military junta. Their operations have also targeted Russian mercenary units operating in the country under the so-called Africa Corps.
In the northern city of Kidal, recently captured by rebels and previously used as a base by Russian forces, rebels have taken control of a command station for Bayraktar TB2 operational-tactical drones. Mali had acquired the Turkish-made drones in December 2022.
The developments highlight a deteriorating security situation in northern Mali, where government forces and their allies are facing mounting pressure from a coordinated rebel advance.
Earlier, a Russian military helicopter was shot down near the city of Gao in Mali, amid a large-scale coordinated offensive by armed groups across the country.
The aircraft was likely brought down by “external fire impact,” suggesting the use of an air defense system, according to Russian war bloggers. They also reported that all onboard personnel, including the crew and a mobile fire group being transported, were killed.
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