Tuareg rebels in northern Mali report no direct communication from Moscow about the Wagner Group fighters they captured last month near the Algerian border.
They are awaiting dialogue but have not received any official negotiation proposals.
The rebel coalition, the Permanent Strategic Framework for Peace, Security and Development (CSP), stated the Wagner prisoners are being well-treated.
They are open to all initiatives but have not yet engaged in direct negotiations, according to spokesperson Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane.
In recent battles near Tinzaouaten, the Tuareg rebels claim to have killed at least 84 Wagner mercenaries and 47 Malian soldiers.
They captured seven prisoners during these clashes. Ramadane mentioned third parties have reached out but not on behalf of the Russian government.
The Russian foreign ministry and embassy in Mali have not commented on the prisoners’ status.
Since Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin’s death, the Kremlin has integrated Wagner into a broader Africa Corps organization, but details on troop losses remain unclear.
The Tuareg separatists’ insurgency began in 2012, seeking an independent Azawad. Their fight later mixed with a rebellion.
Russia, replacing French and U.N. troops, has strengthened ties with Mali’s military rulers, who also expelled Western forces.
