Russian Africa Corps Medics Aim for 'Golden Hour' in Mali Medical Evacuations

MOSCOW, August 5. /TASS/. Military medics of the Russian Africa Corps try to stay within the "golden hour" when providing care to the wounded, including by evacuating them to the hospital by helicopter, a corps surgeon with the call sign Drake told TASS.

"Our equipment, our capacity, and our specialists allow us to help a person, as military medics say, during the so-called ‘golden hour.’ We strive to provide care on the operating table within this window. Quite often, we can quickly transport the wounded to the hospital, which significantly reduces complications," Drake said.

He added that rapid evacuation is a particular priority, and wounded from remote areas are evacuated by helicopter whenever possible. Corps doctors are also providing medical assistance to Malian army soldiers and local residents injured during fighting.

It was previously reported that the Malian armed forces, in coordination with the Russian African Corps, carried out decisive operations in northern Mali near the town of Anefis, killing over 2,000 militants.

The Malian Ministry of Defense and Veterans Affairs reported on July 4 that militant groups attacked army positions in the communities of Aguelhok, Anefis, Gao, Kenyeroba, Konna, Sevare and Somadougou. In response, the Malian army, supported by the African Corps, repelled the attackers.

The coordinated attacks were carried out by units of the Azawad Liberation Front and Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimeen, a group linked to al-Qaeda (both are banned in Russia as terrorist organizations).