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Philip Obari, a Nigerian investigative journalist, elaborated on the significant role that Russian mercenaries are playing across these nations. In the CAR, these forces have been directly assisting the government in combating rebel threats since 2016. In Mali, they were invited by military junta leaders to deal with a debilitating jihadist insurgency. Recently, their activities extended to Niger, coinciding with the military takeover there.
Promises of Stability Shattered by Violations
While the presence of Russian mercenaries is often justified as a means to secure stability, the reality presents a darker narrative. Obari points out that rather than purely delivering security, these mercenaries have been implicated in numerous human rights violations.