Editor’s note
The sun is back for our last week in Oxford, so here’s all the entertainment you’ll need for a trip down to Hinksey, a picnic in the park, or even a walk around the meadows. This week, we’ll take a look at Wagner in Mali, a political shooting in Colombia, and protests in LA.
Despite Wagner, a Russian-backed military group, pulling out of Mali this week, the news signals increasing Russian influence in the region. This is because they will be replaced by “Africa Corps”, a group more affiliated with the Kremlin. The decision follows recent political upheaval in Mali as the people have been protesting against the government. So what role will Russia play in shaping Mali’s future?
Meanwhile in Colombia, widespread shock came after the attempted assassination of Miguel Uribe Turbay, a presidential candidate. Miraculously, Uribe survived, although remains in hospital. The attack follows years of progress after similar events decades ago. Given the assassination attempt came before a series of bombings a few days later, the political situation in Colombia is looking increasingly unstable. So how will the 2026 election play out?
Chaos has also broken out in Los Angeles as protestors take to the streets in condemnation of Trump’s migration policies. Trump sent in the Marine Corps in return, as well as saying that he will further increase the amount of deportations. With over 50 percent of Americans supporting this announcement, the protests seem a symbol of the internal divisions within the United States at the moment. But how will the situation be resolved and is it likely to escalate?
The Russian-Backed Wagner Group Withdraws from Mali—But the Kremlin Still Has Sights Set on the Region
Ed Routh
After three-and-a-half years in Mali, the Russian state-funded private military company (PMC) Wagner Group has officially announced it is leaving the war-stricken West African state. A message on the group’s Telegram account declared: “Mission accomplished. PMC Wagner is going home”. Despite this triumphant tone, the majority of Malian territory remains outside the control of its central government and in the hands of Jihadists and Tuareg militias, who have been active in the country since 2012.
Malian junta-leader Assimi Goïta first struck a deal with the Wagner group in September 2021, coinciding with French withdrawal from the country. Up to 2,500 mercenaries have since been committed to the country as well as a number of Russian military advisors, arms and materiel.
Progress against the insurgency has not been forthcoming, though, and the announcement of Wagner’s departure came on the same day as reports of Malian soldiers having abandoned the centrally-located Boulkessi military base following a Jihadist attack on 5 June.
The Wagner Group has always had an ambiguous relationship with the Russian state, openly rebelling against the Ministry of Defence in June 2023 and marching on Moscow. In August of that year, the Wagner Group’s leading cadre, including influential chief Yevgeny Prigozhin, were killed when their private jet crashed 60 miles north of Moscow. Prigozhin, a former ally and friend of Russian President Vladimir Putin, was then replaced by his son.
The decapitation of the Wagner Group’s leadership, whether coordinated by the Kremlin or not, has had a significant knock-on effect in the Sahel region, where Prigozhin had cultivated a deep network of contacts and confidants.
This sudden withdrawal may provide insight into Russian strategic thinking on the African continent. The Wagner Group’s presence is largely going to be replaced by the more Moscow-affiliated “Africa Corps”, a rival paramilitary force created in 2023 by the Ministry of Defence, with the express purpose of taking over Wagner operations. Yet the majority of mercenaries on the ground will remain, including the main Wagner Group commanders, now under the new “Africa Corps” banner.
This is not, in the words of Nicodemus Minde of the Institute for Security Studies, simply “old wine in a new bottle” but signals a new willingness by the Kremlin to become directly involved in the African continent. It allows Putin and the Kremlin to formulate a long-term military strategy on the continent, where they could not with the quasi-autonomous Wagner Group.
This is an especially precarious time for Mali and its neighbours, with General Goïta suspending all political parties after pro-democracy protests on 5 May amidst rumours of extra-judicial killings. Last month in neighbouring Burkina Faso, where the Africa Corps made its first public appearance, 200 soldiers were killed by an Al-Qaeda affiliate in one of the deadliest attacks in the country since the insurgency started a decade ago.
This unstable situation, combined with the power vacuum left by the French in 2022 and the desperation of the military leaders of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger (who officially broke away from ECOWAS in January), could signal a new, stronger, direction for Russian involvement in the region. Such developments do not bode well for the prospects of peace in the region, after more than a decade of debilitating war.
Presidential Candidate Miguel Uribe Turbay in Critical Condition Following Shooting
Sol White
Colombia is reeling after an attempt on the life of presidential candidate Miguel Uribe Turbay during a campaign rally on 7 June 2025. The conservative senator was shot twice in the head by a teenage assailant while speaking in the Modelia district of Bogotá. The attacker, who is only 15 years old, has been taken into custody and faces charges of attempted murder. Authorities have confirmed the gun used in the shooting was a legally acquired 9mm pistol, reportedly purchased in the United States.
Uribe was immediately transported to Fundación Santa Fe Hospital, where he underwent emergency neurosurgery. Following treatment for both cranial injuries and a gunshot wound to the leg, doctors reported that he was in critical but stable condition. There have since been signs of neurological improvement, although his recovery remains uncertain.
The suspect has pleaded not guilty and is currently receiving medical treatment. Colombian law permits a maximum juvenile sentence of eight years. Officials are investigating possible connections between the shooter and organised criminal groups, including factions of the former FARC guerrilla organisation.
The FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) was a Marxist–Leninist group that was formed in 1964 as the military wing of the Colombian Communist Party. Until 2016, they were in constant armed conflict with the government, but largely dissolved after a peace treaty; however, some former members refused to honour this treaty.
The incident has been received with horror in Colombia and met with widespread condemnation abroad. Citizens held vigils outside the hospital, while politicians from across the ideological spectrum issued statements of support and concern. Members of Uribe’s Centro Democrático party accused President Gustavo Petro’s administration of contributing to a hostile political climate following his rhetoric, clashes with branches of government and polarising statements.
Petro responded by denouncing the attack and calling for a thorough investigation. He also suggested that international criminal networks may be involved and requested assistance from United States authorities in tracing the weapon’s origin. President Petro has further announced an increase in security for all presidential candidates and offered a reward for information leading to the identification of those behind the shooting.
The shooting has conjured uncomfortable memories of Colombia’s history of political violence. The assassination of one-time presidential hopeful Jorge Eliécer Gaitán in 1948 sparked the Bogotazo riots and a decade of conflict. In 1989, candidate Luis Carlos Galán was murdered by cartel-linked hitmen. Although the country has made significant progress since the 1990s, the attack on Uribe marks one of the most serious acts of political violence in recent decades.
In the days following the shooting, a series of bombings in other regions of the country killed seven people and injured dozens. These incidents have raised further questions about the nation’s stability ahead of the 2026 presidential election.
Uribe had campaigned on a platform prioritising security and the rule of law. If he survives, his popularity could grow among voters concerned about rising violence. However, political tensions have deepened, and the path forward for Colombia’s democratic process now appears more uncertain than ever.
Protest Against Migration Policies in Los Angeles: Trump Deploys Troops and Marines
Isolde Sellin
Last Friday (6 June), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) began sweeping through predominantly Latino neighbourhoods in Los Angeles, California, triggering mass protests as residents confronted agents carrying out deportation raids. By Saturday morning, authorities had arrested and detained over 100 people. Donald Trump responded to the unrest by deploying state troops and Marines.
The aggressive ICE operations represent Trump’s renewed anti-immigration agenda. From the moment he returned to office, large-scale arrests resumed. While many of those detained lacked valid visas to live or work in the U.S., a number of migrants with full legal status w ere also taken into custody.
Cities like Los Angeles identify as “sanctuary cities”, meaning that they refuse to cooperate with ICE in immigration enforcement. In recent months, the Trump administration appears to have specifically targeted such cities, most of which are governed by Democrats, for raids.
Following Friday’s protests, Trump ordered the deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops to the affected areas, resulting in violent clashes between demonstrators and the troops. National Guard members and police officers used tear gas and flash grenades to disperse the crowds, further intensifying the chaos. However, the protests remained peaceful in most areas of the city. Critics claim that Trump deliberately exaggerated the situation in order to justify his deployment of troops in the blue state.
The number of National Guard personnel doubled in the days that followed. An additional 700 Marines, who arrived on Tuesday, were sent to protect ICE officials. These officials subsequently arrested over 40 people and have clearly stated their intention to continue the raids.
The deployment of the National Guard typically requires consent from a state’s governor, as set out in the U.S. Constitution and Title 10 of the United States Code. In this case, Trump has acted unilaterally, overriding California Governor Gavin Newsom, who called Trump “a dictator, not a president.”
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass stated, “We are a city of immigrants, and we have always embraced that”. She further accused the federal government of using Los Angeles as a “test case” to assert federal control over local jurisdictions. To regain control of the situation, Bass ordered a curfew on 10 June. Despite this, protests continued throughout the following two nights, and protesters were arrested.
Trump defended his actions on Truth Social: “If I didn’t ‘SEND IN THE TROOPS’ to Los Angeles the last three nights, that once beautiful and great City would be burning to the ground right now, much like 25,000 houses burned to the ground in L.A. due to an incompetent Governor and Mayor”. He was referring to the wildfires that devastated parts of the city in January—though experts estimate the number of houses lost was closer to 12,000.
By Monday, protests had spread to other cities, including Houston, San Francisco and New York City. Trump has announced plans to increase the number of immigrant deportations to 3,000 per day. According to recent surveys, over 50 percent of Americans support the deportations.
On Friday, 13 June, U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer ordered Trump to call the troops back, stating that their deployment and the overruling of the governor’s authority was illegal. In the past, Trump’s administration has ignored and publicly questioned court decisions. Trump’s actions—especially regarding respect for judicial authority—have raised concerns among legal experts about their implications for democracy and the separation of powers.
It is not yet clear whether the situation in Los Angeles will escalate further. On Wednesday, President Trump did not rule out invoking the Insurrection Act to justify military intervention but remained vague about the criteria. The Insurrection Act would allow Trump to use active-duty military officials to carry out law enforcement domestically.
He described the protests as potentially meeting the definition of “insurrection” and claimed, without evidence, that the unrest was driven by paid agitators.