# Battle of Tinzaouaten In late July 2024, near Tinzaouaten on [[Mali]]'s border with Algeria, a [[Wagner Group]] and Malian army column was ambushed and routed by the Tuareg separatist coalition CSP-DPA, with the al-Qaeda affiliate [[Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin]] claiming a share of the fighting (the separatists denied it). It is widely described as Russia's worst battlefield loss in Africa, and it was Wagner's — not [[Africa Corps]]' — loss: Wagner's own Telegram channel acknowledged the fighting from July 22 to 27 and the death of commander Sergei Shevchenko, saying a sandstorm had let the rebels regroup. Its last message on July 27 said "the three of us stayed." ## Casualty claims No neutral count exists; every figure below is a claim. | Claimant | Claim | |---|---| | CSP-DPA rebels (Aug 2) | 84 Wagner and 47 Malian soldiers killed; 9 rebels killed | | Former Wagner fighter to BBC Russian | At least 82 Russians dead | | Rusich (Russian Telegram) | 80 killed, 15+ captured | | JNIM | 50 "mercenaries" and 10 Malian soldiers | | Pro-Russian channels | 20–25 | | Malian army | 2 soldiers killed, 10 wounded | | Wagner | "Heavy losses," no number | At least six armored vehicles, a Mi-24 helicopter and 14 trucks were visually confirmed lost. ## The Ukraine fallout Ukrainian military intelligence spokesman Andriy Yusov said the rebels had received "necessary" information. Mali cut diplomatic ties with Ukraine on August 4, 2024 and [[Niger]] followed on August 6; Russia accused Kyiv of opening a "second front" in Africa. Ukraine called Mali's move hasty and denied involvement, and the separatists denied receiving Ukrainian help. ## See Also - [[Wagner Group]] · [[Mali]] · [[Africa Corps]] · [[2026 Mali Attacks]] · [[Russo-Ukrainian War]]