Tuareg rebels in northern Mali said they have not yet have been sought by Moscow in connection with the fate of fighters from the Russian private military company "Wagner" whom they captured last month in a battle near the Algerian border, Reuters reported, quoted by BTA.
A spokesman for the rebel coalition, known as the "Permanent Strategic Framework for Peace, Security and Development", said the prisoners were being treated well and had access to contact.
"In principle, we are open to hearing all initiatives and proposals, but so far there have been no negotiations,", Mohammed Elmauloud Ramadan told Reuters.
Tuareg rebels said at least 84 mercenaries from "Wagner" and 47 Malian soldiers were killed during several days of fighting near Tinzawaten. According to them, seven prisoners were captured.
Ramadan said the rebels had been contacted by NGOs and private citizens about the Wagner prisoners, but none of them acted directly on behalf of the Russian government.
The Russian Foreign Ministry and the Russian Embassy in Mali did not respond to a request for comment on the fate of the prisoners.
Neither Mali nor "Wagner" reported how many soldiers they lost in the clashes, although in a rare statement on July 29 PMC "Wagner" stated that it had suffered heavy losses, Reuters recalls.