Mali became the first country in the Sahel region to be affected by the growing jihadism when groups such as al-Qaeda and IS began to shift their focus from the Middle East to Africa almost ten years ago.

As recently as last week, eleven people were killed in an attack carried out by a militant Islamist group.

Attempts by the UN and France to curb the violence have failed and when Mali's military junta in 2021 invited the Russian mercenaries of the Wagner group to help, it was the last straw for the French who left the country.

More Western countries have given the same message.

The Swedish force that is on site is expected to leave in June next year.

Controversial soldiers

The controversial group has been accused of massacres of civilians but Marat Gabidullin, former commander of the Wagner group, says they are welcomed by locals who want stability.

He also says that the African leaders profit from the cooperation with the Russian mercenaries.

- The Wagner Group's goal will not only be to destroy the enemy, but also to ensure that those leaders remain in power.

It is better for them to have such people around them, people who have an interest in them sitting in the presidential chair.

Didn't foresee the consequences

Since 2015, Russia has entered into military cooperation agreements with 20 countries in Africa.

After the invasion of Ukraine, however, these alliances with Russia have had unexpected consequences, says Yvan Guichaoua, Sahel expert at the University of Kent.

He believes that the decision to bring in the Wagner group for Mali's government was about pure pragmatics.

- The French deployed some special forces on the ground, fired a few bullets and then left.

The Russians work permanently with the army in the villages and patrol.

This is a kind of military tactic that the population hopes will be more effective.

He continues:

- But with the war, what it meant to be allied with Russia changed, it affected other international alliances.

Mali's government did not foresee that part very well, that cooperation would close the door to help from the West.

How did jihadism become so strong in the Sahel region?

See the Foreign Office: Terror in the Sahara from 20:00 on SVT Play or 22:00 on SVT2.