{"id":68094,"date":"2019-04-04T18:17:48","date_gmt":"2019-04-04T18:17:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2019\/04\/04\/why-this-us-general-says-russian-wagner-mercenaries-in-africa-concern-me-greatly\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T13:40:49","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T13:40:49","slug":"why-this-us-general-says-russian-wagner-mercenaries-in-africa-concern-me-greatly","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2019\/04\/04\/why-this-us-general-says-russian-wagner-mercenaries-in-africa-concern-me-greatly\/","title":{"rendered":"Why this US general says Russian Wagner mercenaries in Africa \u2018concern me greatly\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The nominee to lead U.S. Africa Command<\/a> has dealt with Russian mercenaries before during his time in Syria, and is planning to look into their operations on the African continent<\/a> in his new role.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI have some experience with these groups and specifically the Wagner Group <\/a>from my time in Syria,\u201d Gen. Stephen J. Townsend told the Senate Armed Services Committee during his confirmation hearing this week. \u201cI think they concern me greatly, I\u2019m sure they concern Gen. Waldhauser [the current AFRICOM commander] as well.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Russian mercenaries have been reportedly active across the continent, where they offer African governments training and equipment much like U.S. troops would, but without human rights oversight, American officials said during the hearing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wagner Group, a private military company allegedly ran by a former Russian intelligence officer with deep Kremlin connections, acts as a Russian proxy force, officials said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In February 2018, an unconfirmed number of Russians were killed when a mix of Russian mercenaries<\/a> and pro-regime Syrian fighters<\/a> attacked U.S. and local partner forces in eastern Syria\u2019s Deir ez-Zor province<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey\u2019re a quasi-military and as we saw play out in Crimea and Ukraine, little green men running around, not necessarily following rules or behavior we would expect from proper armies,\u201d Townsend said. \u201cSo I have a pretty significant concern for the use of these kinds of forces and the way that the Russians are using them on the continent.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf confirmed, this is something I\u2019ll certainly be looking into in greater detail,\u201d he added. \u201cIt\u2019ll be an endeavor to try to figure out exactly what they\u2019re doing with them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Three Russian journalists sponsored by an exiled Russian businessman were killed in July in the Central African Republic while investigating Wagner Group, which has been active in the war-torn country.<\/p>\n\n\n\t