African juntas have begun to doubt the reliability of their alliance with Russia following the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria.
According to the French newspaper Le Monde, African juntas have been anxiously watching as Russia has lost its ally in Syria, prompting them to question whether they can trust the Kremlin.
Russia is attempting to maintain its military bases in Syria; however, its focus has already shifted to Libya, where it has established close ties with Marshal Khalifa Haftar. The bases in Libya are crucial for the Kremlin in connecting with its African allies, particularly in the Central African Republic, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. American pressure on Haftar to limit cooperation with Russia may force Moscow to rely even more on Libya in its African strategy.
Nonetheless, the loss of bases in Syria and the uncertainty regarding Russia's position in Libya have led African juntas to reassess their relationship with the Kremlin.
"The question arises: if Vladimir Putin did not protect his Syrian ally, a strategic player in the Middle East, will he do the same for them?" - writes Le Monde regarding the reactions of African dictatorships.
The situation in Mali, where the Prigozhin mutiny and the fall of the "Wagner Group" occurred, has added even more doubts.
"After the events in Syria, everyone is questioning again. This is a complete failure for the Russians, which casts doubt on their reliability and weakens their position in Mali and [throughout the Sahel region]. This is not very reassuring," notes a Malian officer.
Source: lemonde.