Russia’s Wagner Group informed the family of a Russian mercenary, Alexander Efremov, who was captured alive by Tuareg rebels in Mali, that he has died. This contradicts statements from the Tuareg rebels, who claim both Russian captives remain alive.
Efremov’s brother, Evgeny, disclosed that Wagner contacted the family to relay the death, posting the information on a Telegram group where relatives of the mercenaries share updates. Wagner has reportedly made similar calls to other families of fighters missing after a deadly July battle.
However, Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane, spokesperson for the Tuareg rebel group, firmly rejected Wagner’s claims. “All our prisoners are alive,” he said, accusing Wagner of lying. Both sides have yet to provide evidence to support their assertions, leaving families in limbo.
The prisoners were taken following a brutal desert clash near the Algerian border, where dozens of Wagner fighters, along with Malian soldiers, were killed. Tuareg rebels, who have fought for an independent homeland since 2012, claimed to have killed 84 Russians and 47 Malians in the ambush.
Despite Wagner’s heavy losses, the group has not released an official death toll, and the Malian army has also withheld casualty figures. The Kremlin has yet to comment on the fate of the captured fighters, as Wagner now operates under the newly formed Africa Corps following the death of its leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, last year.
