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DOUANKARA, Mauritania — In a disturbing development within Mali’s protracted conflict, multiple women have provided The Associated Press with harrowing accounts of surviving or witnessing alleged sexual assaults perpetrated by members of the newly established Russian Africa Corps. This military unit, which has replaced the Wagner mercenary group, is currently assisting Malian forces in counter-extremism operations.

Medical professionals and aid workers on the ground confirm that sexual violence has become a weapon employed by all factions in the conflict, including gang rape and sexual slavery. However, the deeply conservative and patriarchal nature of local societies creates a culture of silence that prevents most victims from reporting these atrocities, thereby hindering accountability efforts.

The AP gained unprecedented access to refugee settlements along the Mauritanian border, where thousands of Malians have sought sanctuary. Beyond sexual violence, refugees reported indiscriminate killings and beheadings, alleging that Africa Corps has adopted the same brutal tactics previously associated with Wagner mercenaries. Legal experts emphasize that Russian authorities bear direct responsibility for these fighters’ actions, as the unit reports to Moscow’s defense ministry, which declined to respond to inquiries.

Among the most distressing cases documented was a 14-year-old victim who developed severe infections following sexual assault by individuals her family identified as Russian soldiers. The AP verified four additional cases of sexual violence involving Africa Corps fighters, consistently described by survivors as ‘white men.’

One survivor recounted defending herself ‘by the grace of Allah’ when armed men invaded her home and attempted to undress her. Another victim exhibited visible scratch marks on her neck and experienced uncontrollable trembling when recounting her ordeal. A third woman described her experience as something that ‘stays between God and me,’ while a fourth witnessed armed men abducting her 18-year-old daughter, whom she has not seen since.

The complex landscape of sexual violence in Mali extends beyond Russian fighters. A women’s health clinic in the Mopti region reported treating 28 survivors of sexual assault by JNIM militants, an al-Qaeda affiliate that represents the most powerful armed group in the country.

According to Mirjam Molenaar, a medical team leader with Doctors Without Borders (MSF), ‘People undergo these things and they live with it, and it shows in post-traumatic stress.’ The organization notes that fear of reprisals, limited access to healthcare, and social stigma surrounding sexual assault contribute to significant underreporting.

This pattern of abuse echoes previous allegations against Wagner mercenaries, including one refugee’s account of witnessing mass rape in her village in March 2024, where even her 70-year-old mother was victimized. A 2023 UN report documented at least 58 cases of rape and sexual assault during an attack on Moura village by Malian troops and ‘armed white men,’ leading Mali’s government to expel the UN peacekeeping mission and creating an information blackout regarding conflict-related sexual violence.

The humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate, with the refugee camp on the Mauritanian border operating at full capacity with over 150,000 people. Recent fighting has pushed an additional 3,000 refugees across the border in the past month, many settling in fragile shelters made of fabric and branches. MSF has established a free clinic that has already treated three survivors of sexual violence, but aid workers express concern about the countless women who never come forward.

‘We know from the stories shared that there is a huge need,’ Molenaar stated, highlighting the urgent requirement for specialized support services in an environment where accountability remains elusive and trauma largely unaddressed.

In a makeshift medical clinic in Douankara, Mauritania, a 14-year-old Malian girl fights for her life after surviving a brutal sexual assault allegedly committed by Russian Africa Corps fighters. Her case represents just one of numerous documented incidents of conflict-related sexual violence emerging from Mali’s decade-long insurgency, where a culture of silence perpetuates both human suffering and impunity.

The adolescent victim arrived at the Doctors Without Borders (MSF) facility in critical condition after a three-day journey from Mali. Medical staff discovered she had developed a severe infection following the assault, requiring immediate intervention to save her life. According to her family, Russian mercenaries—described as “white men”—stormed their tent in Mali, executed her uncle by decapitation, and then two soldiers dragged the girl away and raped her.

This case exemplifies a broader pattern of sexual violence occurring within Mali’s complex conflict landscape. The AP investigation has documented at least five separate allegations of sexual assaults attributed to Africa Corps personnel, Russia’s newly established military unit that replaced the Wagner Group six months ago. However, aid workers emphasize that the true scale remains obscured by cultural taboos and fear of retaliation.

Bethsabee Djoman Elidje, women’s health manager at the clinic, noted the profound challenges in treating sexual violence survivors: “We are convinced that there are many cases like this, but so far, very few patients come forward because it’s still a taboo subject here. They only seek help when complications develop.”

The problem extends beyond Russian mercenaries. Islamic militants affiliated with al-Qaida’s JNIM group have also been accused of sexual assaults, with one clinic in Mopti reporting 28 cases in six months. Yet the response differs significantly from other conflict zones—MSF’s Mirjam Molenaar observed that while Congolese women sought help “in huge numbers,” Malian survivors typically endure in silence, manifesting symptoms through severe post-traumatic stress.

Refugees described a climate of terror that prevents reporting. Several women who discreetly shared their experiences with AP journalists displayed visible trauma, with one showing scratch marks on her neck from resisting assault. Others recounted watching family members being abducted or described mass rape incidents dating back to Wagner Group operations in 2024.

The international response remains inadequate. Russia’s Defense Ministry ignored requests for comment, while a Kremlin-linked information agency dismissed the investigation as “fake news.” Meanwhile, Mali’s government has expelled UN peacekeepers, making independent verification of atrocities nearly impossible.

As the 14-year-old survivor receives psychiatric care—a rarity in a country with only six practicing psychiatrists—aid workers warn that countless others suffer silently, their stories untold and perpetrators unaccountable in a conflict that shows diminishing regard for human dignity.

In the vast swamplands along the Nile River in South Sudan, the Akuak community demonstrates extraordinary resilience against catastrophic flooding through generations-old adaptation techniques. For approximately 2,000 residents of this aquatic region, daily survival involves the meticulous construction and maintenance of human-made islands using papyrus plants, grass, and clay mud—a centuries-old method now challenged by intensifying climate conditions.

Ayen Deng Duot, a mother of six, exemplifies this relentless struggle as she stands waist-deep in water, wielding a machete to harvest papyrus roots. Each piece contributes to expanding the spongy, layered foundation that keeps her family’s home above water. “We must do this work every day so water does not chase us away,” Duot explains. “We have no choice; we need to protect our homes because we have nowhere else to go.”

The Akuak people, part of the Dinka ethnic group, have inhabited this watery landscape for countless generations. Their existence revolves around canoes rather than roads, with traditional grass-thatched tukuls dotting the artificial atolls. According to Chief Makech Kuol Kuany, the community abandoned cattle herding in the late 1980s due to rising water levels, transitioning entirely to fishing—a shift that significantly reduced their economic resilience.

South Sudan currently experiences its sixth consecutive year of catastrophic flooding, with over 375,000 people displaced nationwide according to UN estimates. The Norwegian Foreign Policy Institute confirms in a March 2025 report that seasonal flooding has become increasingly severe and unpredictable, with historical dry periods no longer providing relief. Researchers note that consecutive record-breaking floods have permanently altered the region’s geography.

The physical labor required to maintain these islands is immense. Fisherman Anyeth Manyang, 45, describes the process: “I learned this work from childhood with my father and mother. It’s very tiresome work because we do it with our bare hands—cutting grass and papyrus, gathering mud. At night, one’s body will be in pain.”

Beyond housing, the flooding has devastated community infrastructure. The region’s first school, established in 2018, closed within two years due to inundation. Eighteen-year-old Philip Jok Thon gestures toward a rusted, unreadable signpost: “We need our school back because we want to study. We want to learn about the world.”

Despite the hardships, the Akuak remain committed to their ancestral land. “This is the land of our ancestors,” states fisherman Matuor Mabior Ajith. “We have been living here for thousands of generations, so we have learned how to resist the water. We will never abandon our land.”

The community’s determination persists even as options diminish. While some consider relocation to urban centers like Bor—25 kilometers and five hours of rowing away—most recognize the challenges of urban transition. Duot expresses concerns about city life for her children: “If our children go there, they may become child laborers or gang members. It’s better for them to stay here, and for us to work hard for them, until we die here.”

As climate change intensifies, the Akuak’s traditional knowledge represents both an extraordinary adaptation story and a warning about the limits of indigenous resilience in facing unprecedented environmental challenges.