Russian forces in Mali killed a senior commander of the Islamic State’s Sahel branch over the weekend in a joint operation with the Malian military, according to officials from Russia’s Africa Corps.
The operation, conducted near Menaka in eastern Mali, resulted in the death of Abu Dahdaha, a Moroccan national and deputy to Abu al-Ghabas, the leader of ISIS’s Wilayat al-Sahel group. The Africa Corps reported that six militants were killed in total during the mission.
Abu Dahdaha was known as an explosives expert and had been implicated in organizing attacks on government convoys in both Mali and Niger. He had been active in the Menaka and Gao regions and was accused of participating in massacres that left hundreds of civilians dead in 2022. He was also suspected of involvement in a recent attack in Banibango, Niger.
Wilayat al-Sahel remains one of the most active jihadist factions operating in eastern Mali and western Niger, particularly along the porous border separating the two countries.
This operation marks a significant step in Russia’s expanding military role in Mali following the departure of the Wagner Group earlier this month. Since the transition, Russia’s Africa Corps—operating under the direct command of the Russian Ministry of Defense—has intensified its operations, including airstrikes and ground raids, especially in the country’s north and east.
Russian involvement in Mali began following a breakdown in relations between Bamako and Paris. After military coups in 2020 and 2021 brought General Assimi Goïta’s junta to power, Mali expelled French troops and turned to Russia for security support. Wagner fighters arrived in December 2021 and remained until their withdrawal in early June 2025.
The recent uptick in operations by the Africa Corps follows an increase in attacks against both Wagner and Malian government forces earlier this year. Russia has accused Ukrainian intelligence of being involved in these assaults, including by supplying drones and training militants.