Shadowy Russian military contractor turns gaze on Africa
Islamic extremism, Russian expansionism and a vast offshore gas field are combining in an explosive mix in northern Mozambique. The involvement of Russia’s Wagner Group hasn’t helped matters
The escalation of what appears to be an Islamic extremist-driven conflict in northern Mozambique could derail the economic bonanza the country is expecting from the natural gas deposits in the Rovuma Basin, off the coast of the Cabo Delgado province.But the conflict has also intensified the spotlight on a shadowy Russian private military contractor called the Wagner Group.The group — whose alleged financier, Yevgeny Prigozhin, has close ties to the Kremlin and is considered a friend of Russian President Vladimir Putin — has drawn increasing media attention, most recently from the Daily Maverick, which published an overview of its alleged activities in at least 20 African states.It is in Cabo Delgado that Wagner has most recently intervened, following the emergence of apparent Islamist extremist cells in the province. But beyond that, a new research report suggests the group has been conducting social media influence operations in the country too.Cabo Delgado, which borders Tanzania,...
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