Residents of Bamako, the capital of Mali, welcome the deployment of mercenaries from the Wagner group, saying that "the Russians are welcome in Mali." But more than a dozen Western powers have expressed anger over the deployment, accusing Moscow of providing material backing for the fighters. I welcomed the arrival of the Russian forces. It was the people themselves who asked for the Russian forces to come. Accused of abuses in several countries, including the Central African Republic, the deployment of mercenaries in Mali is considered by several partners to be incompatible with their presence in the country.

Source: The North Africa Journal December 25, 2021 12:07 UTC