French official says 300-400 Russian mercenaries operate in Mali

From 300 to 400 Russian mercenaries are operating in central Mali, a senior French armed forces ministry official said, challenging an assertion by the West African country’s junta that only Russian military trainers are deployed there.

Other West African nations have closed their borders with Mali, severed diplomatic ties and imposed economic sanctions in response to its delay in holding elections following a 2020 military coup, the 15-state regional bloc said on Sunday.