Malian Rebels Shoot Down Russian Mi-24P Attack Helicopter in Deadly Ambush

In the scorching desert of Mali, rebels from the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) successfully downed a Russian Mi-24P attack helicopter operated by the Africa Corps unit near the city of Gao. This occurred during a coordinated, large-scale assault on five locations across Mali over the weekend. The helicopter was shot down by ground fire as a Russian military convoy retreated from Gao toward Anfis, with social media videos showing the burning wreckage in the sand.

Mali has been experiencing one of its most severe security crises in years, involving clashes between the national army, jihadist groups linked to Al-Qaeda and ISIS in the Sahel region, and separatist Tuareg movements in the north. Some factions occasionally cooperate against the central government. Recent months have seen intensified attacks on military bases and villages, resulting in casualties among both local and foreign forces.

Russian forces, including the Africa Corps and Wagner mercenaries, have been fighting alongside Mali’s army but have also withdrawn from certain northern areas. This is the second time in about ten weeks that rebels have shot down a Russian aircraft, signaling a growing and concerning anti-aircraft capability among insurgents. While Mali’s military claims the situation is "fully under control," reports from the ground depict abandoned Russian equipment scattered in the desert and strategic sites falling to rebels.

The current wave of violence is eroding government control to isolated secure enclaves, as rebels and jihadists tighten their grip on key routes. Despite the significant blow, neither the Malian government nor the Russian Defense Ministry has officially confirmed the helicopter loss so far.