In the heart of Central Africa, a critical question looms over the future stability of the region: should the Central African Republic entrust its security to Wagner or the Africa Corps? While President Touadéra leans toward retaining Wagner, Moscow appears determined to deploy the Africa Corps, a move that could reshape the country’s trajectory.
The choice between these two Russian-backed entities raises pressing concerns. With Wagner, payments were allegedly covered by the systematic exploitation of the nation’s resources. The Africa Corps, however, demands a monthly fee of 10 billion West African francs from the Russian government. For Central Africans, the dilemma is stark: both options may result in the same levels of violence, crime, and brutality—only the financial arrangements differ.
From Wagner to Africa Corps: a shift or more of the same?
After the demise of Yevgeny Prigozhin in mid-2025, the Africa Corps officially assumed Wagner’s operations in the Sahel. The transition was met with cautious optimism by civilians who had endured years of suffering. Yet, their hopes were quickly dashed.
“The same men, now under state control, continue their reign of terror,” declared a Malian village leader who fled the region. “There is no meaningful difference between Wagner and the Africa Corps in practice.”
Structural changes and accountability
The primary distinction lies in command structure. Unlike Wagner, which operated with relative autonomy, the Africa Corps reports directly to Russia’s Ministry of Defense. This shift could theoretically hold Moscow accountable for any war crimes committed—though its actual enforcement remains uncertain.
Intelligence reports suggest the Africa Corps maintains a force of approximately 2,000 fighters in Mali, though recruitment extends beyond Russia’s borders. Analysts highlight the presence of non-Russian speakers, including individuals from Belarus and several African nations, according to a European Council on Foreign Relations report.
Voices from the ground: civilians bear the brunt
Testimonies from Malian refugees who fled to Mauritania paint a harrowing picture of what may await Central Africans if the Africa Corps expands its footprint.
Thirty-four witnesses, most speaking anonymously for fear of retaliation, shared accounts of indiscriminate killings, abductions, and systematic sexual violence. Their narratives underscore a deliberate strategy of terror rather than attempts at targeted counter-insurgency.
Personal tragedies under the Africa Corps
Fatma clutches a photograph of her daughter, one of the countless victims of the Africa Corps’ advance into her village of Kurmare. “The men took everything. They dragged women from their homes, stole their jewelry, and executed the men on sight,” she recalled. Her son died in the assault, while her 18-year-old daughter, already weakened by illness, succumbed to her injuries shortly after.
>“I look alive, but inside, I am dead.”
For Mougaloa, a Fulani herder, the loss is even more devastating. Her daughter vanished without a trace, while her 20-year-old son, Koubadi, was beaten and executed in front of her. The Fulani community has paid a heavy price, often falsely accused of supporting jihadist groups. When the Africa Corps, alongside Malian forces, launches operations to root out militants, no distinction is made between civilians and alleged combatants.
“If you fail to tell the army you saw jihadists, they will kill you. If you do, the jihadists will kill you,” Mougaloa explained. This ‘scorched-earth’ policy leaves no room for survival. Survivors describe a landscape where soldiers fire indiscriminately, offering no warnings or interrogations. “People are killed without ever knowing why,” a fleeing villager attested.
Evidence of atrocities and systemic impunity
Refugees shared videos of entire villages reduced to ashes, while others recounted discovering mutilated bodies—missing livers and kidneys—left in the bush. Social media posts from Wagner-linked accounts previously showcased similar acts in Mali, including the removal of organs from civilian corpses.
Official civilian death tolls attributed to Russian forces have reportedly declined this year (447 deaths compared to 911 in the previous period). However, experts caution that these figures likely underrepresent the true scale of violence. Fear of retaliation silences countless victims, leaving many atrocities unreported. “Rapes, attacks, and murders are rampant. Families are torn apart—there is no doubt about who is responsible,” noted Sukru Cansizoglu, a UNHCR representative in Mauritania. Yet, “pinpointing the perpetrators is often impossible in the chaos.”
Central Africa at a crossroads
The Central African Republic now faces a grim choice. Opting for Wagner may mean enduring the same violence but with greater financial strain on its own resources. Choosing the Africa Corps could introduce a new layer of accountability—yet the evidence from Mali suggests the outcome for civilians may differ little.
One certainty emerges: the civilian population will continue to suffer regardless of which force dominates the country’s security landscape.
