Al-Qaeda-linked fighters killed the defense minister, a top Moscow ally, and forced Russian mercenaries to retreat, highlighting the Mali-Russia partnership’s failure.
April 30, 2026 at 4:56 a.m. EDT40 minutes ago
Smoke rises Sunday in Bamako, Mali. (AFP/Getty Images)
After military officers staged a coup in Mali, they ordered French troops to leave the country, ending a nearly decade-long Western-led anti-terrorism operation. Instead, the junta turned to Russia for help quelling a sprawling Islamist insurgency.
