Russian 56th Separate Guards Air Assault Brigade. (Credit/mil.ru/)

By  Gary  Raynaldo      DIPLOMATIC  TIMES

US AFRICOM Commander Stephen Townsend said Russian Mercenaries are operating in West Africa nation Mali via the Wagner Group.  “We have observed  the Malian junta bring Russian mercenaries into their country.  They’ve invited them.  They continue to deny this in public.  But my information is pretty clear that they have brought in Wagner.”   U.S Army Gen. Townsend made the statement during a press briefing with international journalists Thursday speaking from Rome, Italy.  The press briefing followed the 2022 African Chiefs of Defense Conference. According to Gen. Townsend, the Mali government has to pay a hefty price for the reported “mercenary” services to the tune of $10,000,000/per month to the Russian Wagner Group, a private military company. 

“We have – I’ve got reason to believe that the Malian Government tab for Wagner’s services is $10 million a month.  I don’t know where the Malian Government comes up with $10 million a month.  So I think they will have to trade in kind with natural resources such as gold and other minerals, gemstones, those kinds of things because I don’t know how they come up with $10 million a month in cash.”

-US AFRICOM Commander Stephen Townsend

General Stephen J. Townsend, commander, U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM)   (Credit: AFRICOM)

Gen. Townsend said the Wagner mercenaries are not the Russian military.  “These are mercenaries that happen to be from Russia,” he stated.  However, reports indicated the are  supported by the Russian military.

Russian air force airplanes are delivering the mercenaries, Gen. Townsend said last month. 

“I don’t have a lot of time for Wagner.  I think they are a bad presence and they are not going to contribute to stability and security in Mali in the long run.  I have watched this group of actors in Syria.  I’ve watched them in Libya.  I’ve watched them in Sudan.  I’ve watched them in Central African Republic.  And I’ve watched them in Mozambique.  And they never leave the situation better than they found it.  My experience is they will leave it much worse and they will also exploit the country at expense. This group is beholden to no government, and they follow no rules.  They do not operate within the law of armed conflict, and there is no oversight.”

-U.S. Army Gen. Townsend

U.S. Concerned Over Recent Spate Of  Military Coups Across Africa 

The commander of AFRICOM also expressed concern over the slew of military coups across Africa during the past year including Mali, Sudan, Burkina Faso, and Guinea.  “The U.S. does not support or condone these unconstitutional changes of government and the broader effect they have on democracy and the progress of democracy. I cannot tell you why there are so many coups.  I’m not sure anyone really knows the answer to that.  I think we’ve enjoyed nearly 20 years or so of very low numbers of coups or irregular or unconstitutional changes of government, but here in the last year we have seen a number of them and to include a number of attempted coups. My guess is that it has to do with insufficient governance, a lack of good governance, and corruption.  Gen. Townsend said.

RUSSIA May Have “Hand” in Military Coups in Africa:  Gen.  Townsend 

“We have not seen any involvement by the Chinese in any of these coups.  I don’t think they’re doing that, furthering that or promoting those.  With Russia, I think it’s a little less clear.  I think I have received reports of Russian involvement at least in Sudan in the not too distant past. So I don’t know.  I think the jury is out on that.  I don’t think China is behind any of these coups and I don’t really think that Russia is the main animating force behind most of them, but the hand of Russia may be visible in one or two of these. “

Islamist insurgency expanding in northern Mozambique: Gen. Townsend

“This is an expansion of ISIS in Africa, specifically ISIS in Central Africa.  And they have expanded into this region  of northern Mozambique, Cabo Delgado.  This region is important to Mozambique not only because it’s part of the country, but because it is the site of one of the largest energy deposits in Africa, if not in the world.  And there is a consortium of international energy companies there trying to productively extract the energy resource, and it was – stood to benefit the people, the government and the people of Mozambique to a tremendous degree.  It’s a life-changing resource for the people of Mozambique.  And now all of that is at risk because of the rise of ISIS-Mozambique.”        –   U.S. Army Gen. Townsend