mercenaries

The Russian government has sent weapons, helicopters and mercenaries from the Wagner group to help Mali fight Islamist insurgents and rebels.

Russia, which has been seeking to gain more influence in Africa, has in recent years sent thousands of mercenaries to West and Central Africa to protect military regimes and help them fight insurgents.

The army is focused on Darfur’s border with Chad because it says this is a conduit for mercenaries, and weapons supplied in particular by the United Arab Emirates.

Russia denies that its mercenaries have committed atrocities against civilians and that it is pushing propaganda and misinformation in West Africa's Sahel region.

A similar account said the American had travelled to Ukraine to “recruit American mercenaries”.