From drunk driving to skipping the seatbelt: Which EU country has the most reckless drivers?

Latvia has been ranked as having the EU's highest quotient of reckless drivers, tallying with high road fatality rates of 75 deaths per million people each year and alarming levels of phone usage while driving.
That's according to a new study by motorway toll seller Vignetteswitzerland.com that analysed six key metrics, including road fatality rates, drunk driving, speeding on freeways, driving while sleepy, phone use while driving, and not wearing a seatbelt.
Austria ranks second in the EU, with 22.1% of drivers admitting to driving after consuming alcohol. Greece rounds out the top three, with nearly 28% of its drivers failing to wear seatbelts — the highest rate in the EU.
The data were gathered from the European Commission's official road fatality statistics and the Vias Institute's E-Survey of Road Users' Attitudes (ESRA).
Finnish drivers have also shown some concerning behaviours, with over 40% talking on hand-held phones while driving — the highest rate among the countries surveyed. In Luxembourg, nearly four in 10 drivers admit to driving after consuming alcohol.
"What's particularly alarming is that in countries like Luxembourg and Finland — nations known for their high standards of living and infrastructure — we're seeing extremely high rates of specific dangerous behaviours," said Mattijs Wijnmalen, CEO of Vignette Switzerland.
By contrast, Sweden has the lowest road fatality rate in Europe, with just 22 deaths per million inhabitants — significantly below the European average.
Related
London, Paris, Dublin: Which European city has the most congested roads?
Despite these results, the European Commission reported a 3% year-on-year drop in EU road fatalities in 2024, reflecting 600 fewer lives lost across the bloc.
However, the Commission believes this decline remains insufficient.
"The overall pace of improvement remains too slow, and most Member States are not on track to meet the EU's goal of halving road deaths by 2030," said a press release published on 18 March.
According to the Commission, rural roads continue to present the greatest risk, accounting for 52% of fatalities.
Men represent the majority of road deaths (77%), while older adults (65+) and young people (18-24) are particularly vulnerable road users.
Among different types of road users, car occupants account for the largest share of fatalities, followed by motorcyclists (20%), pedestrians (18%), and cyclists (10%).
Vulnerable road users, including pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists, make up nearly 70% of urban fatalities.

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Yahoo

an hour ago

• Yahoo

Europe Electric Vehicle Battery Testing, Inspection, and Certification Industry Report 2025: Market to Hit $2.21 Billion by 2034 - Expanding Second-Life Applications and Recycling of EV Batteries

The Europe EV battery testing, inspection, and certification market is expected to surge from $410.9 million in 2024 to $2.21 billion by 2034, with a robust CAGR of 18.33%. Key growth drivers include stringent EU regulations, increased EV adoption, and advances in testing technology. Comprehensive testing mitigates risks such as thermal runaway and capacity fade, ensuring battery safety and compliance. The market's expansion is bolstered by EU incentives and sustainability goals, with a focus on regulatory standards and innovative technologies like AI diagnostics and digital twins, enhancing accuracy and efficiency. Key players include DEKRA SE and TÜV SÜD. European Electric Vehicle Battery Testing, Inspection, and Certification Market Dublin, June 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Europe Electric Vehicle Battery Testing, Inspection, and Certification Market: Focus on Vehicle Type, Stage Type, Service Type, Propulsion Type, Battery Type, Testing Parameter Type, Sourcing Type, and Country-Level Analysis - Analysis and Forecast, 2024-2034" report has been added to Europe EV battery testing, inspection, and certification market is projected to reach $2.21 billion by 2034 from $410.9 million in 2024, growing at a CAGR of 18.33% during the forecast period 2024-2034. Strict national and EU battery restrictions, the growing popularity of electric vehicles, and ongoing testing technology advancements are the main drivers of Europe's industry expansion. By reducing hazards like thermal runaway, capacity fade, and performance loss, thorough testing, inspection, and certification services verify EV battery safety, dependability, and regulatory compliance. Market expansion is further accelerated by EU incentives and sustainability goals. The market for EV battery testing, inspection, and certification has grown significantly in Europe as a result of stricter EU laws and a rise in the use of electric vehicles. Under frameworks such as the EU Battery Regulation, UN 38.3, and CE marking, services include environmental stress screening, safety and abuse protocols (including thermal runaway and short-circuit tests), performance testing at the cell and pack level, lifecycle and capacity retention analysis, and type-approval laboratory authorisations and ISO 17025 accreditation guarantee uniformity and legitimacy throughout Europe's testing infrastructure. Digital twin modelling, AI-powered diagnostics, high-throughput automated rigs, and sophisticated calorimetry are examples of technological advancements that have improved throughput, accuracy, and cost-efficiency. On-site gigafactory labs and specialised contract-testing networks are expanding because to increased government incentives for local battery manufacture and circular economy Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and Tier 1 suppliers are reducing logistical risks and meeting strict type-approval schedules by striking a balance between partnerships and in-house facility investments. The expanding market for second-life batteries increases the need for repurposing certificates, grading procedures, and state-of-health evaluations. With Europe's strong EV rollout plans, stricter safety regulations, and strategic push for battery sovereignty, the market is expected to grow at a double-digit CAGR through the late 2020s despite obstacles like high capital requirements for sophisticated equipment, changing test standards, and a shortage of skilled can this report add value to an organization?This report provides invaluable insights into the Europe EV battery testing, inspection, and certification market, equipping organizations with the knowledge needed for strategic decision-making and market forecasting. It comprehensively analyzes emerging technologies, regulatory shifts, and competitive dynamics, helping businesses identify growth opportunities and align their offerings with evolving industry needs. Additionally, the report provides an in-depth examination of key market players, their strategies, and business models, enabling organizations to stay ahead in a competitive and compliance insights are also covered, offering a detailed assessment of international testing standards, safety regulations, and sustainability initiatives to ensure market readiness. Furthermore, regional and segmentation analyses shed light on growth patterns, challenges, and opportunities across different markets, supporting targeted market entry and expansion strategies. By leveraging the findings of this report, businesses can drive innovation, enhance operational efficiency, and secure a competitive advantage in the evolving EV battery testing and certification landscape. Europe Electric Vehicle Battery Testing, Inspection, and Certification Market Trends, Drivers and Challenges Trends Harmonization of safety and performance protocols under the EU Battery Regulation, CE-marking and UN 38.3 to streamline certification. Deployment of AI-driven diagnostics, digital-twin simulations and high-throughput automated testing rigs. Expansion of on-site testing capacity at gigafactories alongside contract-lab networks to reduce lead times. Specialized thermal-management and abuse-testing services for next-gen chemistries and fast-charging use cases. Drivers Stringent EU and national regulations mandating rigorous testing, inspection and certification for safety, performance and environmental compliance. Rapid EV adoption in Europe, prompting OEMs and Tier-1 suppliers to invest in in-house and outsourced testing to meet approval timelines. Advances in battery materials and pack designs increasing demand for electrical, mechanical, thermal and safety-abuse testing. EU strategic focus on battery sovereignty, driving local investment in testing infrastructure and accreditation bodies. Challenges High capital and operational costs for advanced testing equipment and limited availability of skilled lab personnel. Rapidly evolving regulatory landscape requiring frequent updates to test protocols and certification criteria. Fragmented national accreditation schemes and data-sovereignty rules complicating cross-border service delivery. Limited second-life and recycling infrastructure, creating gaps in inspection and certification for repurposed batteries. Key Market Players and Competition Synopsis DEKRA SE TUV SUD SGS Societe Generale de Surveillance SA Applus+ Bureau Veritas Intertek Group plc TUV Rheinland VDE Renewables GmbH TUV NORD GROUP DNV GL Element Materials Technology Key Attributes: Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 131 Forecast Period 2024 - 2034 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2024 $410.9 Million Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2034 $2210 Million Compound Annual Growth Rate 18.3% Regions Covered Europe Key Topics Covered: Executive SummaryScope and Definition1 Market: Industry Outlook1.1 Trends: Current and Future Impact Assessment1.1.1 Adoption of Digital Twins in Battery Testing1.1.2 Wireless and Automated Testing Systems1.1.3 AI and Machine Learning in Battery Testing1.1.4 Blockchain for Transparent Certification and Testing1.1.5 Automation and Robotics in Battery Inspection1.1.6 Advanced Material Testing for Next-Gen EV Batteries1.1.7 Innovations in Simulation and Predictive Analytics for Battery Certification1.1.8 Testing of Second-Life Batteries and Recycling Applications1.2 Supply Chain Overview1.2.1 Key Stakeholders1.2.1.1 Raw Material Testing1.2.1.2 Battery Manufacturing and Integration1.2.1.3 Testing and Certification Service Providers1.2.1.4 End-Use Industries1.2.2 Value Chain Analysis1.2.3 Pricing Forecast1.3 Research and Development Review1.3.1 Patent Filing Trend (by Country and Company)1.4 Regulatory Landscape1.5 Services Overview1.5.1 Testing1.5.1.1 Performance Testing1.5.1.2 Durability Testing1.5.1.3 Electrical Testing1.5.1.4 Thermal Testing1.5.1.5 Abuse and Crash Testing1.5.1.6 Non-Destructive Testing (NDT)1.5.2 Inspection1.5.2.1 Visual Inspection1.5.2.2 Safety Inspection1.5.2.3 Quality Control Inspection1.5.3 Certification1.5.3.1 Product Certification (ISO, IEC)1.5.3.2 Safety and Compliance Certification1.5.3.3 Environmental Certification (RoHS, WEEE)1.5.3.4 Regulatory Certification1.6 Impact of COVID-19 on the Industry1.7 Market Dynamics Overview1.7.1 Market Drivers1.7.1.1 Rising Electric Car Sales Accelerating Demand for Reliable and Certified Batteries1.7.1.2 Growing Emphasis on Safety Standards for EV Batteries1.7.2 Market Challenges1.7.2.1 High Costs of Advanced EV Battery Testing Equipment and Facilities1.7.2.2 Lack of Standardized Testing and Certification Requirements for EV Batteries across Markets1.7.3 Market Opportunities1.7.3.1 Increasing Development of Next-Generation EV Batteries1.7.3.2 Expanding Market for Second-Life Applications and Recycling of EV Batteries2 Regions2.1 Regional Summary2.2 Europe2.2.1 Regional Overview2.2.2 Driving Factors for Market Growth2.2.3 Factors Challenging the Market2.2.3.1 Application2.2.3.2 Product2.2.4 Germany2.2.4.1 Application2.2.4.2 Product2.2.5 France2.2.5.1 Application2.2.5.2 Product2.2.6 U.K.2.2.6.1 Application2.2.6.2 Product2.2.7 Spain2.2.7.1 Application2.2.7.2 Product2.2.8 Sweden2.2.8.1 Application2.2.8.2 Product2.2.9 Poland2.2.9.1 Application2.2.9.2 Product2.2.10 Rest-of-Europe2.2.10.1 Application2.2.10.2 Product3 Markets - Competitive Landscaped and Companies Profiled3.1 Next Frontiers3.2 Geographical Assessment3.3 Competitive Landscape3.4 Company Profiles3.4.1 Overview3.4.2 Top Products/Product Portfolio3.4.3 Top Competitors3.4.4 Target Customers/End-Use Industries3.4.5 Key Personnel3.4.6 Analyst View3.4.7 Market Share, 20234 Research Methodology4.1 Data Sources4.1.1 Primary Data Sources4.1.2 Secondary Data Sources4.1.3 Data Triangulation4.2 Market Estimation and Forecast For more information about this report visit About is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Attachment European Electric Vehicle Battery Testing, Inspection, and Certification Market CONTACT: CONTACT: Laura Wood,Senior Press Manager press@ For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470 For U.S./ CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900

Boston Globe

8 hours ago

• Boston Globe

‘Humanitarian rescue' of migrants, or the EU's dirty work?

Though illegal under international law, the Libyan capture of migrants on the Mediterranean Sea has become commonplace in recent years as the EU has outsourced its effort to stop refugees from crossing its borders. Of course, Europe is not alone in this effort; Australia detains undocumented migrants in Papua New Guinea and Nauru. Under the Obama administration, the American government paid the Mexican government to detain undocumented people trying to enter the United States. The Trump administration has since gone a big step further: shipping hundreds of undocumented people from US soil to a notoriously brutal mega-prison in El Salvador. Migrant prisoners sit on the floor at Sabah Detention Center. Pierre Kattar / Mohammed David /The Outlaw Ocean Project Candé's story unfolds over the first three episodes of the new season of For more than a decade, the EU has supplied the coast guard cutters, supplies for detention centers, aerial intelligence, and vehicles that the Libyans use to capture migrants crossing the Mediterranean hoping for a better life. Efficient and brutal, the at-sea capture and internment of these migrants in prisons in and around Tripoli is what European Union officials hail as part of a successful partnership with Libya in their 'humanitarian rescue' efforts across the Mediterranean. But the true intent of this joint campaign, according to many human rights advocates, legal experts, and members of the European Parliament, is less to save migrants from trafficking or drowning than to stop them from reaching European shores. A handout from on Frontex aerial drones operating on the Mediterranean to locate migrant boats for the purpose of blocking them from entering Europe. Ed Ou//The Outlaw Ocean Project Though the Libyan Coast Guard routinely opens fire on migrant rafts, has been tied by the United Nations to human trafficking and murder, and is now run by militias, it continues to draw strong EU support. Since at least 2017, the EU, led by Italy, has trained and equipped the Libyan Coast Guard to serve as a proxy maritime force, whose central purpose is to stop migrants from reaching European shores. As part of a broader investigation, a reporter for The Outlaw Ocean Project, Ed Ou, spent several weeks in 2021 aboard a Doctors Without Borders vessel, filming its attempts to rescue migrants in the Mediterranean. The work is a life-or-death race. While the humanitarian ship tries to rescue migrants and take them to safety in Europe, the far faster, bigger, and more aggressive Libyan Coast Guard ships try to get to the migrants first so they can instead arrest them and return them to prisons in Libya. The EU has long denied playing an active role in this effort, but the reporters filmed drones operated by Frontex that are used to alert the Libyans to the exact location of migrant rafts. An aid worker on a MSF ship keeps an eye on a Libyan Coast Guard vessel cutting across their bow at high speed. Ed Ou//The Outlaw Ocean Project '[Frontex] has never engaged in any direct cooperation with Libyan authorities,' the Frontex press office said in a statement responding to requests for comment on the investigation. But a mounting body of evidence collected by European journalists and nongovernmental organizations suggests that Frontex's involvement with the Libyan authorities is neither accidental nor limited. In 2020, for instance, Aside from the EU role in helping Libya capture migrants at sea, the UN as well as humanitarian and human rights groups have roundly criticized European authorities for their role in creating and subsidizing a gulag of brutal migrant prisons in Libya. The EU has provided Libya with coast guard cutters, SUVs, and buses for moving captured migrants to prison. For the EU, the challenge of how best to handle desperate migrants fleeing hardships in their native countries will only grow in coming years. Climate change is expected to displace 150 million people across the globe in the next 50 years. Rising seas, desertification, and famine promise to drive desperate people to global north countries like the US and Europe, testing the moral character and political imagination of these wealthier nations. These factors were especially palpable for Aliou Candé, who grew up on a farm near the remote village of Sintchan Demba Gaira, Guinea-Bissau, a place without basic amenities like plumbing or electricity. Candé had a reputation as a dogged worker, who avoided trouble of any kind. 'People respected him,' his brother Jacaria said. In May 2021, journalists for The Outlaw Ocean Project reported from Libya, the Mediterranean, and Guinea Bissau to piece together the story of Aliou Candé. They spoke with friends, relatives, community leaders, and other prisoners held in cell four of Al Mabani to understand the circumstances leading up to his death. Critically, Candé's uncle had contacts for Candé's family back in Guinea-Bissau, and we were able to begin to put together a portrait. But the 28-year-old would become a climate migrant. Droughts in Guinea-Bissau had become more common and longer, flooding became more unpredictable and damaging, and Candé's crops — cassava, mangoes, and cashews — were failing and his children were going hungry. Milk production from his cows was so meager that his children were allowed to drink it just once a month. The shift in climate had brought more mosquitos, and with them more disease. He believed there was only one way to improve their conditions: to go to Europe. His brothers had done it. His family encouraged him to try. In the late summer of 2019, he set out for Europe with six hundred Euros. He told his wife he was not sure how long he'd be away, but he did his best to be optimistic. 'I love you,' he told her, 'and I'll be back.' In January 2020, he arrived in Morocco, where he tried to pay for a passage on a boat to Spain, but learned that the price was three thousand Euros, much more than he had. Candé then headed to Libya, where he could book a cheaper raft to Italy. In February 2021, he and more than a hundred other migrants pushed off from the Libyan shore aboard an inflatable rubber raft. After their boat was detected by the Libyan Coast Guard, the migrants were taken back to land, loaded by armed guards into buses and trucks, and driven to Al Mabani, which is Arabic for 'the buildings.' Candé was not charged with a crime or allowed to speak to a lawyer, and he was given no indication of how long he'd be detained. In his first days there, he kept mostly to himself, submitting to the grim routines of the place. The prison was controlled by a militia that euphemistically calls itself the Public Security Agency, and its gunmen patrolled the hallways. Cells were so crowded that the detainees had to sleep in shifts. In a special room, guards hung migrants upside from ceiling beams and beat them. In an audio message recorded on a hidden cell phone, Candé made a plea to his family to send the ransom for his release. In the early hours of April 8, 2021, he was shot to death when guards fired indiscriminately into a cellblock of detainees during a fight. His death went uninvestigated, his killer unpunished. Aliou Candé was buried in an overcrowded migrant cemetery in Tripoli, more than 2,000 miles from his family in Guinea-Bissau. Bir al-Osta Milad Cemetery where Aliou Candé and other dead migrants are buried. Pierre Kattar/The Outlaw Ocean Project One month after Candé's death, a team of four reporters from the Outlaw Ocean Project traveled to Libya to investigate. Almost no Western journalists are permitted to enter Libya, but, with the help of an international aid group, they were granted visas. Initially, Libyan officials said the team could visit Al Mabani, but after a week in Tripoli it became clear that this would not happen. So the journalists found a hidden spot on a side street, a half-mile from the detention center, and launched a small drone. The drone made it to the facility unnoticed, and captured close-ups of the prison's open courtyard. The team also interviewed dozens of migrants who had been imprisoned with Candé at the same detention center. A week into the investigation, the lead reporter, Ian Urbina, was speaking with his wife from his hotel room in Tripoli when he heard a knock at the door. Upon opening it, he was confronted by a dozen armed men who stormed into the room. He was immediately forced to the ground, a gun pressed to his forehead, and a hood placed over his head. What followed was a violent assault: The journalist sustained broken ribs, facial injuries, and internal trauma after being kicked repeatedly. Other members of the team — including an editor, photographer, and filmmaker — were also detained. The group was blindfolded, separated, and interrogated for hours at a time. Under Libyan law, authorities may detain foreign nationals indefinitely without formal charges. The US State Department became involved after the journalist's wife, who had heard the commotion over the phone, raised the alarm. American officials quickly identified the detaining authority and began negotiating for the team's release. After six days in custody, the team was unexpectedly told they were free to leave. No formal charges were filed and no official explanation for their detention was provided. They were lucky. The experience — deeply frightening but mercifully short — offered a glimpse into the world of indefinite detention in Libya. With no explanation from the government, fanfare by aid groups, nor coverage by domestic or foreign media, Al Mabani officially closed on January 13, 2022. In its roughly 12-month lifespan, the prison became emblematic of the unaccountable nature of Libya's broader detention system. The quiet shuttering of Al Mabani illustrates the ever-shifting nature of incarceration in Libya and how such transience makes protection of detainees nearly impossible. In the same month that Al Mabani was closed, the team behind the reporting presented details of their investigation to the European Parliament's human rights committee, and outlined the EU's extensive support for Libya's migration control apparatus. European Commission representatives took issue with the reporters' characterization of the crisis. 'We are not funding the war against migrants,' said Rosamaria Gili, the Libya country director at the European External Action Service. 'We are trying to instill a culture of human rights.' And yet, just a week later, Henrike Trautmann, a representative of the European Commission, told lawmakers that the EU was going to provide five more vessels to the Libyan Coast Guard to bolster its ability to intercept migrants on the high seas. A small wooden boat packed with refugees waving and smiling with elation after being found by MSF aid workers. Ed Ou//The Outlaw Ocean Project 'We know the Libyan context is far from optimal for this,' Trautmann conceded. 'We think it's still preferable to continue to support this than to leave them to their own devices.' Meanwhile, the flow of migrants across the Mediterranean continues. At least two thousand migrants died in 2024 while making this perilous passage, according to the UN, and, during the same period, the Libyan Coast Guard captured an additional twenty thousand that were brought back to prisons like Al Mabani in and around Tripoli. In February of this year, Libyan authorities held a training exercise with the EU border officials. The Trump administration has also taken note: In May, The status of both of those plans remains unclear.

San Francisco Chronicle​

10 hours ago

• San Francisco Chronicle​

A confidential brief urges the ICC to investigate Wagner's promotion of atrocities in West Africa

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Editor's Note: This story contains graphic images and descriptions of atrocities. The International Criminal Court has been asked to review a confidential legal report arguing that the Russia-linked Wagner Group has committed war crimes by spreading images of apparent atrocities in West Africa on social media, including ones alluding to cannibalism, according to the brief seen exclusively by The Associated Press. In the videos, men in military uniform are shown butchering corpses of what appear to be civilians with machetes, hacking out organs and posing with severed limbs. One fighter says he is about to eat someone's liver. Another says he is trying to remove their heart. Violence in the Sahel, an arid belt of land south of the Sahara Desert, has reached record levels as military governments battle extremist groups linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group. Turning from Western allies like the United States and France, the governments in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger have instead embraced Russia and its mercenary fighters as partners in offensives. Observers say the new approach has led to the kind of atrocities and dehumanization not seen in the region for decades. Social media offers a window into the alleged horrors that often occur in remote areas with little or no oversight from governments or outside observers. Experts say the images, while difficult to verify, could serve as evidence of war crimes. The confidential brief to the ICC goes further, arguing that the act of circulating the images on social media could constitute a war crime, too. It is the first such argument made to the international court. 'Wagner has deftly leveraged information and communications technologies to cultivate and promote its global brand as ruthless mercenaries. Their Telegram network in particular, which depicts their conduct across the Sahel, serves as a proud public display of their brutality,' said Lindsay Freeman, director of the Technology, Law & Policy program at the Human Rights Center, UC Berkeley School of Law. Under the Rome Statute that created the ICC, the violation of personal dignity, mainly through humiliating and degrading treatment, constitutes a war crime. Legal experts from UC Berkeley, who submitted the brief to the ICC last year, argue that such treatment could include Wagner's alleged weaponization of social media. 'The online distribution of these images could constitute the war crime of outrages on personal dignity and the crime against humanity of other inhumane acts for psychologically terrorizing the civilian population,' Freeman said. She said there is legal precedent in some European courts for charging the war crime of outrages on personal dignity based predominantly on social media evidence. The brief was submitted to the ICC before the U.S. sanctioned the court earlier this year. It asks the court to investigate individuals with Wagner and the governments of Mali and Russia for alleged abuses in northern and central Mali between December 2021 and July 2024, including extrajudicial killings, torture, mutilation and cannibalism. It also asks the court to investigate crimes 'committed through the internet, which are inextricably linked to the physical crimes and add a new dimension of harm to an extended group of victims.' The Office of the Prosecutor of the ICC said their investigations have focused on alleged war crimes committed since January 2012, when insurgents seized communities in Mali's northern regions of Gao, Kidal and Timbuktu. The ICC told the AP it could not comment on the brief but said it was aware of "various reports of alleged massive human rights violations in other parts of Mali,' adding that it 'follows closely the situation.' World's deadliest region for terrorism, think tank says As the world largely focuses on wars in Gaza, Ukraine and Sudan, the Sahel has become the deadliest place on earth for extremism. Half of the world's nearly 8,000 victims of terrorism were killed across the territory last year, according to the Institute for Economics and Peace, which compiles yearly data. While the U.S. and other Western powers withdraw from the region, Russia has taken advantage, expanding military cooperation with several African nations via Wagner, the private security company. The network of mercenaries and businesses is closely linked to Russia's intelligence and military, and the U.S. State Department has described it as 'a transnational criminal organization.' Since Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin was killed in a plane crash in 2023, Moscow has been developing a new organization, the Africa Corps, as a rival force under direct command of Russian authorities. Earlier this month, Wagner announced its withdrawal from Mali, declaring 'mission accomplished' in a Telegram post. In a separate Telegram post, Africa Corps said it is staying. In Mali, about 2,000 Russian mercenaries are fighting alongside the country's armed forces, according to U.S. officials. It is unclear how many have been with Wagner or are with the Africa Corps. Both the Russian mercenaries and local military allies have shared bloody imagery on social media to claim battlefield wins, observers say. 'The mutilation of civilians and combatants by all sides is disturbing enough,' said Corinne Dufka, a Sahel expert and the former head of Human Rights Watch in the region. "But the dissemination of these scenes on social media further elevates the depravity and suggests a growing and worrying level of dehumanization is taking root in the Sahel.' The confidential brief, along with AP reporting, shows that a network of social media channels, likely administrated by current or former Wagner members, has reposted content that the channels say are from Wagner fighters, promoting videos and photos appearing to show abuses by armed, uniformed men, often accompanied by mocking or dehumanizing language. While administrators of the channels are anonymous, open source analysts believe they are current or former Wagner fighters based on the content as well as graphics used, including in some cases Wagner's logo. AP analysis of the videos confirms the body parts shown are genuine, as well as the military uniforms. The videos and photos, in a mix of French and local languages, aim to humiliate and threaten those considered the enemies of Wagner and its local military allies, along with civilian populations whose youth face pressure to join extremist groups. But experts say it often has the opposite effect, prompting reprisal attacks and recruitment into the ranks of jihadis. If the videos aim to deter and terrorize, it's working, some in Mali say. The ones appearing to show atrocities committed by Malian soldiers 'caused a psychological shock in the Fulani community,' a representative of the nomadic community's civil society told the AP, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation. The Fulani are often caught in the middle of the fight against extremism, the focus of violence from both government forces and extremists, and of jihadi recruitment. Thousands of Fulani have fled to neighboring countries in fear of being victimized, the representative said, and asserted that at least 1,000 others disappeared last year after encountering Mali's army or allied militias, including Wagner. Condemnation and investigations In July last year, a Wagner-affiliated Telegram channel reposted three videos of what appeared to be Mali's armed forces and the Dozo hunters, a local defense group often fighting alongside them, committing apparent abuses that allude to cannibalism. One video shows a man in the uniform of Mali's armed forces cooking what he says are body parts. Another shows a man dressed as a Dozo hunter cutting into a human body, saying he is about to eat the liver. In a third video, a group of Dozo fighters roasts what appears to be a human torso. One man carves off a hunk of flesh and tosses it to another. Mali's army ordered an investigation into the viral videos, which were removed from X for violating the platform's rules and put behind a paywall on Telegram. The army chief described it as 'rare atrocity' which was not aligned with the nation's military values, and 'competent services' would confirm and identify the perpetrators. It was not clear whether anyone was identified. A video apparently from Burkina Faso, shared on X the same month, showed an armed man in military pants and sleeveless shirt dancing, holding a severed hand and foot, at one point grinning as the foot dangled from his teeth. In another, a man in Burkinabe military uniform cuts through what appears to be a human body. He says: 'Good meat indeed. We are Cobra 2.' Another man is heard saying: 'This is BIR 15. BIR 15 always does well its job, by all means. Fatherland or death, we shall win.' BIR 15 Cobra 2 is the name of a special intervention unit created by Burkina Faso's ruler, Ibrahim Traore, to combat extremists. 'Fatherland or death' is the motto of pro-government forces. The videos were removed from X and put behind a paywall on Telegram. Burkina Faso's army condemned the videos' 'macabre acts' and described them as 'unbearable images of rare cruelty.' The army said it was working to identify those responsible, adding that it 'distances itself from these inhumane practices.' It was not clear whether anyone has been identified. Other posts shared by alleged Wagner-affiliated channels include images of what appear to be mutilated corpses and beheaded, castrated and dismembered bodies of people, including ones described as extremist fighters, often accompanied with mocking commentary. One post shows two white men in military attire with what appears to be a human roasting on a spit, with the caption: 'The meat you hunt always tastes better,' along with an emoji of a Russian flag. It is hard to know at what scale cannibalism might occur in the context of warfare in the Sahel, and actual cases are 'likely rare,' said Danny Hoffman, chair in international studies at the University of Washington. But "the real force of these stories comes from the fascination and fear they create,' Hoffman said of the videos, with the digital age making rumors of violence even more widespread and effective. 'Whether it is Wagner or local fighters or political leaders, being associated with cannibalism or ritual killings or mutilations is being associated with an extreme form of power," he said. Some of the graphic posts have been removed. Other content was moved behind a paywall. Telegram told the AP in a statement: 'Content that encourages violence is explicitly forbidden by Telegram's terms of service and is removed whenever discovered. Moderators empowered with custom AI and machine learning tools proactively monitor public parts of the platform and accept reports in order to remove millions of pieces of harmful content each day.' It did not say whether it acts on material behind a paywall. 'White Uncles in Africa' The Telegram channel White Uncles in Africa has emerged as the leading source of graphic imagery and dehumanizing language from the Sahel, reposting all the Mali videos. UC Berkeley experts and open source analysts believe it is administered by current or former Wagner members, but they have not been able to identify them. While the channel re-posts images from subscribers, it also posts original content. In May of this year, the channel posted a photo of eight bodies of what appeared to be civilians, face-down on the ground with hands bound, with the caption: 'The white uncles found and neutralized a breeding ground for a hostile life form.' It also shared an image of a person appearing to be tortured, with the caption describing him as a 'hostile life form' being taken 'for research.' Human Rights Watch has documented atrocities committed in Mali by Wagner and other armed groups. It says accountability for alleged abuses has been minimal, with the military government reluctant to investigate its armed forces and Russian mercenaries. It has become difficult to obtain detailed information on alleged abuses because of the Malian government's 'relentless assault against the political opposition, civil society groups, the media and peaceful dissent,' said Ilaria Allegrozzi, the group's Sahel researcher. That has worsened after a U.N. peacekeeping mission withdrew from Mali in December 2023 at the government's request.