Russian mercenaries, likely with the Wagner Group, buried a dozen Malian bodies in a mass grave about 2.5 miles east of France's former Gossi military base with the goal of blaming France, a French military officer tells The Associated Press. The French military released video images taken Thursday morning showing what appear to be 10 Caucasian soldiers covering bodies with sand.
France handed the Gossi base over to Malian forces on Tuesday. Later that day, a "sensor observed a dozen Caucasian individuals, most likely belonging to the Wagner Group," and a detachment from the Malian army arrived at the burial site an unload equipment, AP reports, quoting a confidential report by the French military. Fake social media accounts tied to Russia or created by Wagner posted tweets with pictures of the bodies, blaming France, the French officer said. It's unclear where the bodies came from.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Ukraine-Russia: are both sides readying for nuclear war?Today's Big Question Putin changes doctrine to lower threshold for atomic weapons after Ukraine strikes with Western missiles
-
Incendiary device plot: Russia's 'rehearsals' for attacks on transatlantic flightsThe Explainer Security officials warn of widespread Moscow-backed 'sabotage campaign' in retaliation for continued Western support for Ukraine
-
What would happen if Russia declared war on Nato?In depth Response to an attack on UK or other Western allies would be 'overwhelming'
-
Missile escalation: will long-range rockets make a difference to Ukraine?Today's Big Question Kyiv is hoping for permission to use US missiles to strike deep into Russian territory
-
Atesh: the Ukrainian partisans taking on RussiaUnder The Radar Underground resistance fighters are risking their lives to defend their country
-
'Second only to a nuclear bomb' – the controversial arms Russia is using in UkraineThe Explainer Thermobaric bombs 'capable of vaporising human bodies' have been used against Ukraine
-
The peaceful archipelago that may take up armsUnder The Radar Russia's invasion of Ukraine has left the Åland Islands 'peculiarly vulnerable'
-
What can Ukraine gain from Russia incursion?Today's Big Question Gamble to boost morale, improve negotiating position and show the West it can still win is 'paying off – for now'
