First it was the French (unsurprisingly) and now the Russian African Corps have left Mali. After being surrounded and outgunned the Russians surrendered to several Islamic groups mix of Azawad Liberation Front (FLA), ISIS, al-Qaeda, and Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM).

The tide is shifting in Africa, China used to be in in the mineral rich areas but has since changed to supplying money and equipment instead of people. Mali is the world's third largest gold exporter and also rich in diamonds and lithium. Russia has slowly been pulling out (this case unwillingly), France has been out for a few years, and the USA has been leaving bases as well. Slowly but surely Africa is becoming majority Muslim, even South Africa.

Also different Muslim sects are putting their difference aside to get rid of non-Muslim forces. I think it is only a matter of time when the power vacuum forms and they start going after each other.

Mali attacks

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After a weekend of co-ordinated attacks across Mali by separatist fighters and Islamist militants, Russian forces who are in the country helping protect the military government have confirmed they have pulled out of the northern city of Kidal.
In a series of social media posts, Russia's Africa Corps said they had "left the locality" along with Malian troops.
The separatist Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) group said on Sunday the Russian troops had agreed to withdraw permanently, and claimed control of Kidal, declaring it "now free".

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Mali where slavery was finally completely banned in 2024.

https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2023/05/mali-slavery-descent-must-be-criminalised-un-experts-say

They haven't pulled out completely. Been keeping an eye on this one for a bit now. Pro gubment forces did generally stop a pretty massive push by the Tuaregs and AG affiliates but they did kill the second in command of Mali essentially and the Afrika Corps sustained losses of unknown numbers (they never admit). The north of Mali has always been a mess and the hardest to control. With Russia's inability to really reinforce anyone these days with significant military aid, ceding land you would be hard pressed to keep anyways makes sense.

The whole Sahel band is such a disaster. Which is just another day in Africa I guess. Turns out overthrowing your governments with weak juntas whose power almost solely comes from Russian influence was a losing proposition.

China's strategy so far seems to bear the most fruit so far. Russian aggression and crimes against the Malian people just painted an even bigger target on their forehead. They really just can't help themselves...

Tick tock, Mr. Putin.

My basic inch deep mile wide understanding of the situation.

The French were doing a pretty good job of keeping the jihadis at bay for a while. The Russians decided they wanted more influence in that area of Africa so they sponsored a military junta and invited themselves to provide security, just like they did in Niger. The French left. The Russians pretty much suck at everything and the corrupt junta that took over sucked even worse.

There had been a separatist movement in the north for a long time. The separatists decided to ally with the jihadists to launch these attacks but it's two or more separate groups with different viewpoints. Any sort of success and actually taking over the country would likely result in a civil war between all of these factions.

ErnestEndeavor said:

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My basic inch deep mile wide understanding of the situation.

The French were doing a pretty good job of keeping the jihadis at bay for a while. The Russians decided they wanted more influence in that area of Africa so they sponsored a military junta and invited themselves to provide security, just like they did in Niger. The French left. The Russians pretty much suck at everything and the corrupt junta that took over sucked even worse.

There had been a separatist movement in the north for a long time. The separatists decided to ally with the jihadists to launch these attacks but it's two or more separate groups with different viewpoints. Any sort of success and actually taking over the country would likely result in a civil war between all of these factions.

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The French were smart and saw the writing on the wall. Radical Islam in extremely poor and undeveloped countries is essentially unstoppable once it gets a foothold. Russia just wanted to suck out resources and cash but as you say, are extremely bad at anything civil related and are now facing the mess the French would have at some point. Russia also had a hand in Burkina Faso and their overthrow as well. I would expect them to go through a similar upheaval soon-ish.

It's a case of the worst guy ya know fighting the second worst guy ya know. Yet, the end result doesn't mean you win either.

Thought this was interesting. First time these two groups have ever actually publicly said they are working together. I mean, everyone knows they are, but the question has been if it is "the enemy of my enemy" sort of deal or something actually more meaningful. This makes it seem like it leans more towards the latter. Also means the future of Mali is much more fuzzier if the junta falls. Which also seems more more likely than not at this point.

Chatter of Russians being offered an off ramp in general as well in order to work with the new rulers once the dust settles. Haven't been able to pinpoint the civilian population mood though to my satisfaction. Aside from that they are unhappy (to put it lightly) under the junta.

Breaking: In an unusual statement, JNIM claims the complete control over the cities of Mopti and Kidal, with the help of their "partners" of the FLA, which is the first time the group publicly announces their coordination and affiliation with each other, and openly calling them… https://t.co/CDOHwTmCEk pic.twitter.com/kcv4trBXVK

— Brant (@BrantPhilip_) April 25, 2026

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Breaking: In an unusual statement, JNIM claims the complete control over the cities of Mopti and Kidal, with the help of their "partners" of the FLA, which is the first time the group publicly announces their coordination and affiliation with each other, and openly calling them their "brothers". Interestingly as well, JNIM says they wish to keep Russia out of the fight so that they may have "good relations" once they take over the country. The group also says most of the army strongholds in Sevar and Gao have been captured.

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when this is the touristic highlight photo of your country you got problems

Gen Camara killed by "huge suicide car bomb". I have provided a free link to the article in The Daily Telegraph.

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Gen Sadio Camara, the defence minister, was killed aged 47 when a huge suicide car bomb levelled his home in the garrison town of Kati and also killed his second wife and two grandchildren.
His assassination on April 25 came in the early hours of a co-ordinated blitz of jihadist and separatist attacks that threw the West African nation's Moscow-backed junta into crisis.
Last weekend's attacks were the heaviest and most serious since militants overran much of the country in 2012.
Kremlin mercenaries, who had guaranteed the regime's safety, could not save one of their main clients from the combined forces of the al-Qaeda-linked Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), and its new Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) Tuareg allies.
Hired guns from Russia's Africa Corps were also forced to withdrawfrom a northern desert town, in a significant blow to their military prestige.

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Free Telegraph article on Russia in Mali

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Europe Africa has been committing suicide forever. A Muslim caliphate will would finish Europe Africa off and eliminate any good reason for America, or any other Western, Russian or Chinese power from helping them in any way.

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Europe also.

Islam is the worlds most prolific colonizer force.

InfantryAg said:

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Europe Africa has been committing suicide forever. A Muslim caliphate will would finish Europe Africa off and eliminate any good reason for America, or any other Western, Russian or Chinese power from helping them in any way.

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Europe also.

Islam is the worlds most prolific colonizer force.

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UK, France and Germany will eventually elect someone that'll deport the Muslim migrants

I believe each country is becoming more conservative slowly

Africa will be a total no go zone in not too distant future. We thought it was the Dark Continent before, they are gonna go Dark Ages like a mofo as Islam takes over.

oldord said:

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Give it time….there are lots of Christians to enslave and lots of
Muslims to do the enslaving….

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Yep, muslims are still in the business of slavery and human trafficking and general suffering for anyone near them or that POS so called religion.

Not sure the west abandoning Africa is practical given the mineral wealth on that continent. That's what the Chinese see and why they engaged in the first place. Of course it could end up like the Middle East is with oil where the civilized world sponsors tin horn dictators just to keep the raw materials flowing.

LOYAL AG said:

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Not sure the west abandoning Africa is practical given the mineral wealth on that continent. That's what the Chinese see and why they engaged in the first place. Of course it could end up like the Middle East is with oil where the civilized world sponsors tin horn dictators just to keep the raw materials flowing.

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About the only way you can manage that continent. Population is too low IQ to ever be self-sustaining, well run societies.

YouBet said:

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LOYAL AG said:

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Not sure the west abandoning Africa is practical given the mineral wealth on that continent. That's what the Chinese see and why they engaged in the first place. Of course it could end up like the Middle East is with oil where the civilized world sponsors tin horn dictators just to keep the raw materials flowing.

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About the only way you can manage that continent. Population is too low IQ to ever be self-sustaining, well run societies.

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So colonialism 2.0. Hmmm. Guess we can chalk that up as another thing the left is wrong about.

2wealfth Man said:

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when this is the touristic highlight photo of your country you got problems

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Are you kidding? Look at those goats, the sex trade in Islamic countries is alive and well!

LOYAL AG said:

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YouBet said:

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LOYAL AG said:

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Not sure the west abandoning Africa is practical given the mineral wealth on that continent. That's what the Chinese see and why they engaged in the first place. Of course it could end up like the Middle East is with oil where the civilized world sponsors tin horn dictators just to keep the raw materials flowing.

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About the only way you can manage that continent. Population is too low IQ to ever be self-sustaining, well run societies.

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So colonialism 2.0. Hmmm. Guess we can chalk that up as another thing the left is wrong about.

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Yes, and I was actually going to explicitly state that but didn't want to offend sensibilities. But, in effect, colonialism is their best bet to improve those countries.