Wagner has acknowledged heavy losses in the Mali ambush but gave no figure. The Malian army, which fought alongside the Russians, also did not give a toll. Tuareg rebels, who are fighting for an independent homeland, said they had killed 84 Russians and 47 Malians.

Among the dozens of Wagner mercenaries presumed dead after a lethal battle with Tuareg rebels during a desert sandstorm in Mali in July were Russian war veterans who survived tours in Ukraine, Libya and Syria, according to interviews with relatives and a review of social media data.

STORY: At the end of July, the bodies of dozens of mercenaries from Russia's Wagner group lay in the sand of Mali's desert.:: Near Tinzaouaten, MaliThey were killed in a battle with Tuareg rebels during a sandstorm near the town of Tinzaouaten on the Algerian border.

Among the dozens of Wagner mercenaries presumed dead after a lethal battle with Tuareg rebels during a desert sandstorm in Mali in July were Russian war veterans who survived tours in Ukraine, Libya and Syria, according to interviews with relatives and a review of social media data.

Among the dozens of Wagner mercenaries presumed dead after a lethal battle with Tuareg rebels during a desert sandstorm in Mali in July were Russian war veterans who survived tours in Ukraine, Libya and Syria,

The Wagner Group, which has been heavily involved in supporting military juntas in Africa, is facing significant questions about its effectiveness compared to Western and UN force