Militants from Russia's African Corps committing atrocities in Mali

"Militants from Russia's African Corps are committing numerous killings, rapes and other crimes in the African country of Mali. These fighters, subordinated to Russia's Defense Ministry, have replaced the Wagner Private Military Company, once a powerful Russian paramilitary formation used in covert overseas operations.
According to the refugees, the African Corps uses the same tactics as Wagner. Two refugees

showed video footage of villages burned by "white men". Two others said they had found the bodies of their relatives with their livers and kidneys missing, something that had previously been reported in connection with Wagner's activities.
"It's a scorched-earth policy. The soldiers speak to no one. Anyone they see, they shoot. No questions, no warning. People don't even know why they are being killed," said a Malian village chief who fled.
AP noted that the military governments of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger have turned from Western allies to Russia for help in fighting militants linked to al-Qaeda or Islamic State.
When the African Corps replaced Wagner six months ago, civilians hoped the brutality would decrease. The United Nations says they have suffered abuses by all sides in the conflict. But refugees have spoken about a new reign of terror by the African Corps.
AP gained access to the Mauritanian border, where thousands of Malians have fled in recent months due to intensified fighting. The agency spoke to 34 refugees who described indiscriminate killings, abductions and sexual violence. Most of them spoke on condition of anonymity.
"They are the same men, paid by the government, and continue the massacres. There is no difference between Wagner and Africa Corps," the village elder said.
The Malian authorities have never publicly acknowledged the presence of Wagner  But in recent weeks, Russian state media have released reports from Mali praising the African Corps for protecting the country from "terrorists", and Russia's Foreign Ministry has confirmed that the unit operates "at the request of the Malian authorities", providing ground escorts, conducting search-and-rescue operations and other tasks, AP says." Pravda