The Kremlin said on Thursday that Russian forces would stay in Mali to help the country's military-led government battle insurgents following a surprise offensive by West Africa's al Qaeda affiliate and a Tuareg-dominated separatist group.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov made the statement after being asked by a reporter how Russia responded to a purported statement from the insurgents saying they wanted Russia to leave Mali because they believed the ruling military junta would not survive for long without Russian support.

"Russia's presence there is, in fact, due to the need identified by the current government. Russia will continue, including in Mali, to combat extremism, terrorism and other harmful phenomena and will continue to provide assistance to the current government," said Peskov.

Mali's Russia-trained defence minister, Sadio Camara, was killed in a suicide bombing at the weekend, Russia's Africa Corps was forced to withdraw from Kidal - an important town that Russian mercenaries helped take in 2023 - and Moscow had to use helicopter gunships and strategic bombers to hold insurgents back.

Political analysts say Russia's image as a self-styled security guarantor in Africa has been dented by the events and that its strategic and economic interests on the continent are now threatened by the turmoil.