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A Lebanese bar owner in Bamako was fatally shot last week by a Russian mercenary belonging to the Africa Corps group; local and security officials, along with a hospital source, confirmed to AFP on Monday.
The shooting took place from late Wednesday into Thursday in a bar located in the Badalabougou district of the Malian capital, where the gunman and other Russian mercenaries had been drinking.
The attacker reportedly fired three shots at close range at the victim, though the precise motive remains uncertain.
A member of the civil protection service, speaking anonymously due to security concerns, said the confrontation appeared to have escalated after the mercenary was asked to leave the premises.
Emergency responders found the owner severely injured and suffering major blood loss. Despite efforts to remove bullets from his skull, he died in hospital on Thursday, according to medical staff.
Africa Corps mercenaries, who operate in support of the Malian military, have frequently been accused of widespread abuses against civilians.
A representative of the Lebanese community in Mali told AFP that such acts have become disturbingly common and alleged that authorities are attempting to conceal this latest incident.
Mali’s government has grown increasingly aligned with Russia in recent years, distancing itself from former colonial power France.
Wagner Group forces initially filled the security void before being replaced by Africa Corps, with both entities accused of involvement in serious human rights violations during operations against militants.
