A video circulating on social media shows a Belarusian aircraft exploding before landing in Mali. The exact number of victims is still unknown, but there are fears that up to 140 passengers could have been on board.
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It is suspected that the strategic transport aircraft, model Ilyushin Il-76, was connected to the Wagner group. A source at the airport, an employee there, told Jeune Afrique magazine that the aircraft belonged to the Mali Army, but was transporting Wagner soldiers and was overloaded. The same person stated that “the causes of the accident are still unknown.”
The Wagner group operates in Mali, and the explosion of the aircraft comes a few weeks after mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin, who commanded the group, died in a plane crash on the outskirts of Moscow. Despite suspicions, sources close to the group denied the news that the mercenaries had a connection with the aircraft.
According to the Telegram channel Grey Zone, affiliated with the Wagner group: “The flight did not transport any person from the Wagner group,” “There were no fighters or pilots on board.”
Ilyushin-76
The Ilyushin-76 is a multipurpose strategic transport aircraft with fixed wings and four turbofan engines, often used to deliver heavy machinery to remote areas.
Video: Reproduction Twitter @JacdecNew
