Two former fighters from Russia's Wagner paramilitary group, captured in northern Mali in July 2024, were released on 20 August after more than a year in captivity. The men had been seized during the Battle of Tinzaouatène (a town near the Algerian border where Malian and Wagner forces suffered a significant defeat at the hands of Tuareg rebels and jihadists allied under the FLA and JNIM coalitions). Africa Corps, the Russian state-controlled successor to Wagner, credited the release to negotiations facilitated by Saddam Haftar — deputy commander of the Libyan National Army and son of Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftar — who met with President Vladimir Putin in Moscow the day before the men were freed, with sources indicating a substantial financial payment was also part of the deal.