BBC: Russian paramilitary launched air strikes in Mali as rebels advanced
Footage analysed by the BBC shows the Russian paramilitary Africa Corps carried out air strikes in northern Mali as rebel forces advanced. The attacks unfolded as the group withdrew from a key base in the area.
The BBC has released new footage from clashes in northern Mali last weekend. Its analysis indicates that elements linked to the Russian paramilitary Africa Corps carried out air strikes in the area as rebel groups advanced.
The strikes unfolded at the same time as Africa Corps was withdrawing from a key base in northern Mali. The footage shows fire from helicopters and airdropped munitions targeting rebel positions. The Malian army has not issued a detailed account of the engagements.
Mali shifted away from the French military presence in recent years, after coups, and turned instead to support from Russian paramilitary groups. A reduced Africa Corps footprint suggests the security balance on the ground is shifting again. The territory under rebel coalition control has continued to expand in an uneven pattern.
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