To divide
A plane crashes in Mali, the number of victims is unknown. Rumors link the accident to the Wagner mercenary group.
Gao – A video circulating on social media shows the dramatic moment in which a plane allegedly linked to the private mercenary group Wagner crashes onto an airstrip in Mali.
The clip, posted by several X (formerly Twitter) users, including aviation accounts, shows the Soviet-era Ilyushin Il-76 landing at the West African country’s Gao airport on September 23. The plane then overtakes the runway at high speed before breaking into pieces and catching fire.
June 24, 2022 file photo: Wreckage of an Ilyushin Il-76 aircraft in the Ryazan region of Russia. The plane crashed in a field near Mikhailovskoye highway on the Pletenka River. © IMAGO/Alexander Ryumin
Plane explodes in Mali: video shows the last seconds
The fate of those on board is unknown. But there is speculation that they are members of the Wagner Group, which is present in Mali. Telegram channel VChK-OGPU, which reportedly has connections with Russian security services, said: “According to preliminary information, PMC Wagner mercenaries could be on board.”
Wagner provides “security services” in parts of Africa and represents an important link for the Kremlin to the continent’s rich resources. However, following the death of the company’s founder, Yevgeny Prigozhin, in a plane crash in Russia last month, there is uncertainty about the future. of the mercenary force in Africa.
Prigozhin’s death came two months after his troops staged a mutiny against the Russian military, posing a threat to Vladimir Putin’s leadership. The Kremlin denied any involvement in the accident.
The Ilyushin-76 is a strategic four-engine, multi-role turbojet aircraft commonly used to transport heavy machinery to remote and poorly serviced areas. The aircraft has been sighted in several African regions, often coinciding with the presence of paramilitary forces such as Wagner.
Accident in Mali: different information about the personnel on board
According to sources critical of the Malian government, the plane may be linked to Wagner, while local reporters believe it was a Malian army plane carrying equipment.
An informant at the airport and a local official told Jeune Afrique magazine that the plane belonged to the Malian army, carrying Wagner soldiers, and was overloaded. “The causes are not yet known,” they said.
Prigozhin dies in plane crash – photos from the crash site
See series of photos
The Gray Zone Telegram account, which is said to have links to the Wagner group, denied that Wagner members were on board at the time of the accident. “There are rumors that the plane belonged to the Wagner Group. But this is not true,” the statement said on Wednesday. “This chartered Il-76 was used by local forces to transport goods for various purposes. There were no Wagner Group personnel on board.”
Social media users pointed out that the crashed plane was registered in Belarus with the tail number EW-412TH. It was on a route from the Belarusian capital, Minsk, to Mali and on its way to Istanbul. (skr)