In the West African country of Mali, on the afternoon of Saturday, September 23, an Il-76 transport plane, which was probably used by militants of the Russian PMC Wagner, crashed.
According to media reports, the plane crashed near the airport in Gao. The causes of the accident, who was on board and the number of victims are still unknown.
Al-Arabiya reports that the plane was Russian and was probably used by militants from the Wagner PMC. Media associated with the Malian authorities deny that the plane belongs to their state.
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The Chinese television channel CGTN noted that the plane was transporting military equipment and personnel.
Al-Arabiya, citing Malian media reported that the plane was not shot down, and the crash occurred due to a pilot error.
Photos and videos from the scene of the incident were published online.
Recall that on August 23, a private passenger plane crashed in the Russian Tver region. On board were the head of the Wagner PMC, Yevgeny Prigozhin, and the leaders of the militants.
Later, a genetic examination confirmed Prigozhin’s death.
We add that Mali maintains close ties with Russia and the regime of dictator Vladimir Putin. Earlier, the US State Department reported that militants from the Wagner PMC tried to purchase weapons and transport them through Mali for use in the war against Ukraine.
