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| A Leader of Niger’s Coup Visits Mali, Raising Fears of a Wagner Alliance | A Leader of Niger’s Coup Visits Mali, Raising Fears of a Wagner Alliance |
| (25 days later) | |
| A week after a military overthrow of Niger’s elected president, a coup leader and other officers flew to neighboring Mali on Wednesday to meet with its rulers, raising concerns that a key Western ally could grow closer to military leaders in Mali who partner with the Kremlin-backed Wagner private military company. | A week after a military overthrow of Niger’s elected president, a coup leader and other officers flew to neighboring Mali on Wednesday to meet with its rulers, raising concerns that a key Western ally could grow closer to military leaders in Mali who partner with the Kremlin-backed Wagner private military company. |
| Gen. Salifou Modi, one of the putschists who removed President Mohamed Bazoum of Niger from power last week, was part of a delegation of military officials who visited Mali, according to a post on social media from the office of the president in Mali. | Gen. Salifou Modi, one of the putschists who removed President Mohamed Bazoum of Niger from power last week, was part of a delegation of military officials who visited Mali, according to a post on social media from the office of the president in Mali. |
| The Wagner group has about 1,500 troops in Mali, allied with the military regime there. Its founder, Yevgeny V. Prigozhin, has praised the coup in Niger and offered Wagner’s services to the new rulers, though it is unclear what operational control he still has over the group after his failed mutiny in Russia in June. | The Wagner group has about 1,500 troops in Mali, allied with the military regime there. Its founder, Yevgeny V. Prigozhin, has praised the coup in Niger and offered Wagner’s services to the new rulers, though it is unclear what operational control he still has over the group after his failed mutiny in Russia in June. |
| Niger had become in the past decade a reliable ally of France and the United States in the fight against Islamist insurgents. The military takeover of Niger has thrown that alliance into question, and the meeting in Mali is seen as an indication that the coup leaders in Niger are looking for support from an African nation backed by Russia. | Niger had become in the past decade a reliable ally of France and the United States in the fight against Islamist insurgents. The military takeover of Niger has thrown that alliance into question, and the meeting in Mali is seen as an indication that the coup leaders in Niger are looking for support from an African nation backed by Russia. |