Wagner Forces Are Not Leaving, But Rotating: Central African Republic

The departure of hundreds of Wagner troops from the Central African Republic is part of a rotation of forces, rather than a withdrawal, announced a spokesperson for the presidency of the republic.

The short-lived rebellion led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, founder of Russia's Wagner private military company, has raised questions about the future of his group's extensive network of military and commercial operations in the CIS, other parts of Africa, the Middle East, and beyond, according to Reuters.

"Some have gone, and others will come," said the presidential spokesperson. A military source, speaking on condition of anonymity and without providing further details, reported to Reuters that several hundred Wagner mercenaries recently left the country. It remains unclear how many have stayed behind. It is believed that about 1,900 Russian mercenaries, including those from Wagner, were operating there in total.