Shahed-Type Drones Filmed During Attack on Mali Villages
Bellingcat has geolocated and verified footage showing Shahed-136 type kamikaze drones in operation in Mali, providing some of the clearest open-source evidence of their deployment. Two strikes were confirmed: one in the village of Inafarak on July 12, 2026, and another in Talahandak on July 17, 2026. The footage shows the aftermath of the strikes, including wreckage with an engine consistent with the Shahed-136 family. Experts told Bellingcat the drones were likely manufactured in Russia, given the presence of the Kremlin-controlled Africa Corps group and broader Russian military support to Mali. The strikes targeted commercial facilities near the Algerian border. This marks the first verified footage of Shahed-136 type drones in flight and hitting targets in Mali, following earlier reports of drone debris in the country.
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