US policymakers view the group in terms of competition with Russia for influence in Africa and the Middle East, accusing it of gross human rights abuses. The US military clashed directly with Wagner’s forces in Syria.
A US official said that among the possibilities being studied by policy analysts is that the willingness of leaders of African countries to hire the group’s fighters may decline after watching Wagner’s leader Yevgeny Prigozhin turn on his sponsors. One of the options offered to the Wagner members by Russian President Vladimir Putin was to sign a contract with the Russian Armed Forces.
“If these Wagner forces are absorbed into the Russian military overnight, there could be a problem,” said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. “Many of these countries were not requesting a Russian military presence when they requested the Wagner forces.”“.
He added that some of these African leaders are deeply concerned about internal opponents, and that Wagner’s march towards Moscow may fuel their fears..
At the Pentagon, a spokesman for the US Department of Defense, Brigadier General Patrick Ryder, refused to speculate on Wagner’s future, but condemned the group’s actions in Africa and elsewhere..
“They have a destabilizing effect in that region and they certainly pose a threat, which is why they have been declared a transnational criminal organization,” Ryder said.“.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told Russian media on Monday that Wagner’s activity in CAR would continue.
The US official said that despite Lavrov’s statements, the United States is looking forward to seeing whether countries in Africa trust these promises..
Michael Mulroy, a former senior Pentagon official, agreed that the weekend’s events could damage Wagner in Africa..
“They will be seen as very unstable and potentially a threat to the leadership in those countries,” Mulroy said. “They almost started a coup in (their country),” he added.“.
A second US official said that despite the obvious risks to Prigozhin’s organization, there is an opportunity for the group to profit from its insurgency. Wagner’s sudden march towards Moscow, which met little resistance, could boost its reputation, leading to more business in Africa..
The second American official said, “He deals in matters of violence, and this is a good thing to promote him.”“.
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