A Russian soldier has reportedly been killed in Hombori in Mali’s central Mopti region.
The AFP news agency quoted a military memo as saying that a “Russian advisor” had struck an improvised explosive device on Tuesday morning.
It said the Russian died after being airlifted to a hospital in the central town of Sevare.
The AFP said an unnamed official in Sevare hospital official as well as an elected official had confirmed the death.
Mali’s army has not officially commented on the events.
The Malian junta has repeatedly denied the presence of mercenaries from Russia’s paramilitary company Wagner to assist in its counterinsurgency operations.
It comes as the UN on Wednesday accused Malian authorities of preventing its human rights investigators access to a village where hundreds of people were killed.
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Malian troops and their Russian collaborators are accused of carrying out a massacre of hundreds civilians during the operation against militants last month.
Mali said those killed were jihadists, while Russia said they were not involved in the operation.
