Among the Wagner PMC members believed to have died in July fighting Tuareg rebels in Mali were veterans of battles in Ukraine, Libya and Syria, according to a Reuters investigation based on interviews with relatives of the dead and an analysis of social media data.

The battle took place in a desert area on the border with Algeria, near the city of Tinzaouaten. In a sandstorm, Wagner fighters were ambushed by Tuareg rebels. As a result of the battle, dozens of PMC members were killed, including experienced fighters. Among the dead and missing were also mercenaries who had participated in military operations in Libya and Syria.

The fate of 23 fighters remains unknown, while two others were captured by rebels, Reuters reported. The agency identified the missing men using social media data, interviews with relatives and facial recognition software that analyzed battlefield footage. The members included former Russian soldiers, some of whom had completed their full military service in the Russian armed forces.

Families of the dead told reporters that their relatives' bodies were left in the desert. One woman said that Wagner has not yet confirmed whether her husband is alive or died in battle.