Description
This paper provides a comparative analysis of the patterns of human rights violations perpetrated by Russian Private Military Companies (PMCs), primarily the Wagner Group, across three conflict-affected African states: Libya, Sudan, and the Central African Republic (CAR). It posits that despite differing national contexts, these actors employ a consistent and replicable model of systematic abuse, which functions as an instrumental tool to secure the Kremlin’s strategic and economic objectives. The study moves beyond cataloguing individual atrocities to identify the operational patterns that define the PMCs' modus operandi, including their integration with local power structures and the specific types of violations most frequently deployed in different scenarios.
To conduct this analysis, the research will employ a qualitative comparative case study methodology. Data will be triangulated from three primary sources: (1) documented reports from international bodies (e.g., UN Panels of Experts, UN Independent Experts on CAR), (2) evidence from reputable non-governmental organizations (e.g., Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International), and (3) open-source intelligence (OSINT) from credible journalistic investigations and digital forensics. This methodological approach allows for a systematic examination of the PMCs' activities across the three cases to identify commonalities and differences in their tactics, the nature of their partnerships with host governments, and the types of human rights abuses committed.
The analysis reveals that violations including extrajudicial killings, torture, and indiscriminate violence against civilians are not isolated incidents but are strategically utilised to terrorise populations, control resource-rich territories, and eliminate opposition under the guise of counter-insurgency. The study concludes that this recurring "pattern of abuse" is a deliberate feature of Russia’s hybrid foreign policy, enabling it to project power while maintaining plausible deniability, ultimately exacerbating instability and eroding the international human rights framework in Africa.
