Five members of the Russian expeditionary corps and one Malian army soldier were killed last Tuesday when a landmine exploded near Anefis camp, about one kilometer from the Malian and Russian military base, according to local sources speaking to African Perceptions.
The mine was reportedly planted by the “Alla Ag El Bachir” katiba, a unit affiliated with the Azawad Liberation Movement (MNLA), which later claimed responsibility for the attack. The targeted vehicle was carrying five Russian troops and one Malian soldier, all of whom were killed instantly.
The same katiba had carried out a similar operation in recent weeks, luring a joint Malian-Russian patrol with a motorcycle into a mined area, resulting in multiple casualties.
This latest incident underscores the growing tension and resurgence of attacks targeting Malian forces and their Russian allies in northern Mali, following the collapse of the 2015 peace agreement.
