Dozens of Russian mercenaries belonging to the infamous Wagner group were brutally killed in an apparent ambush in northern Africa over the weekend. The incident took place in Mali, with disturbing footage reviewed by Fox News Digital showing numerous Russian soldiers lying dead amidst burnt vehicles.

The exact events leading up to the attack remain unclear, but it is believed that Tuareg separatists carried out the ambush near the Algerian border, targeting both Wagner and Malian forces. According to Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane, spokesperson for the rebel movement in Northern Mali, known as the Permanent Strategic Framework for Peace, Security, and Development, the enemy columns were effectively obliterated during the attack on Saturday. He claimed that a significant amount of equipment and weapons were seized or damaged.

Reports from Russian media suggest that at least 20 Wagner soldiers were killed in the ambush, while the Malian army confirmed the deaths of two of its own soldiers. However, some sources indicate that the Russian death toll could be as high as 80. It is important to note that these numbers could not be independently verified by Fox News Digital.

The ambush occurred after days of intense fighting in the Tinzaouatene area of northeast Mali. Wagner forces, previously led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, who died in a plane crash in August 2023, have been fighting alongside the Malian army since 2022 when the military leaders took control of the nation and expelled French forces. The escalated conflict in Mali's northern region came after the country's military rulers abandoned a 2015 peace agreement with the separatist group in January.

Despite claims from Mali that the Russian forces deployed there are not Wagner mercenaries but rather trainers assisting in the fight against Islamic extremists, a rare statement from Wagner on Telegram contradicted those assertions. Wagner confirmed that its forces, led by Commander Sergei Shevchenko, also known as "Pond," were engaged in the fight alongside Malian forces from July 22 to 27. They claimed to have initially decimated most of the Islamists, but a subsequent sandstorm allowed the radicals to regroup and increase their numbers to about 1,000 individuals. Shevchenko was reportedly killed in the fighting.

The situation in Mali remains tense, with conflicting reports and uncertainty surrounding casualties and the exact nature of Wagner's involvement. The tragic ambush serves as a reminder of the dangers faced by mercenaries and the complexity of the conflicts in the region.

Reuter's contributed to this report.

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