🧵: A new image (1) of Chinese forces carrying a mace-like club, "the Wolf Fang" has been circulating
Much of the analysis indicates that these are intended for use on the #Indian-#China border - I don't think that's the case. Images 2 & 3 are from '16 & '18 respectively
1/10
Recently, the Chinese government posted a requisition request for 2,600 additional wolf fangs. While it's entirely possible that some of these will make their way to the contested regions in Kashmir, the current evidence points to domestic application
2/10
On 6/15/20 China & India engaged in hand-to-hand combat in the Galwan valley leaving at least 20 dead. On 12/9/22, the 2 forces clashed again in the Tawang sector, 1,000 miles to the northwest of Galwan valley
3/10
The India-China '96 treaty "Confidence-Building [...] Along the Line of Actual Control (LAC)" says, "Neither side shall open fire"
This has led to the use of improvised blades & clubs. Both sides had soldiers bludgeoned, thrown off cliffs, or into icy rivers
4/10
Many of the weapons used in the border clashes are improvised, but standardized weapons aren't new in the conflict (1)
But note the badge on the soldier's hat. This is the emblem of the Peoples' Liberation Army, which has been the primary belligerent in the border conflict
5/10
The image currently being circulated is of the People Police, & while they have participated in the border conflict, the picture is clearly from an urban area & includes a soldier with a firearm. My conclusion is that the primary use case for these weapons is domestic
6/10
China has been developing increasingly brutal weapons & tools to control civil unrest. Pic 1 is Xi inspecting police crowd-control tools (some similar to the anti-knife tools used by Japan in pic 2)
There is also the spiked baton in pic 3 - all from 2016 or earlier
7/10
Additional images from 2016 or earlier show Chinese police training with spear-like implements. Clearly, #China is ready to use brutal force on their own citizens, & I think it's a safe bet that many of the new clubs are intended for domestic use
8/10
Xi has removed term limits, faced massive protests against the Zero-COVID policy, & is looking at a demographic cliff
While he has ended the COVID policy, #China has not seen this scale of protests recently. If push comes to shove, we may see a Tiananmen-like crackdown
9/10
Thread on the 2018 Battle of Khasham - reportedly from a Wagnerites perspective
During the battle, a contingent of US SOF supporting the SDF at the Conoco plant came under attack by ~500 Syrian & #Wagner fighters who had crossed the de-confliction line
Russian command was informed multiple times of suspected RUS nationals moving on the US position, but denied any involvement
When asked if reports that 200-300 of the Russian force was KIA, Coalition Director of Operations, US Gen. Braga, said it was “close to [the US] estimate”
The US-lead coalition threw the kitchen sink at them: M142 HIMARS, M777s, Apaches, F-22s, F-15Es, B-52s, AC-130 gunships, & MQ-9 Reapers
#Russia used #Wagner to probe US defenses & was meet with overwhelming firepower. Despite pleading for help from RUS MoD, they received none
Extremely NSFL images of a mass grave in #Mali near the village of Korientze. Victims were found burned & with their hands bound. Reportedly perpetrated by #Russia’s #WagnerGroup & Malian Forces
This is Russia’s foreign policy. The export of human rights abuses & instability
Unfortunately, #Russia enjoys broad support in #Mali’s capital, Bamako - which has seen multiple pro Russian/Wagner rallies under the current junta lead by President Assimi Goïta
RUS MFA Lavrov is currently visiting Mali, but just a year ago, they were denying ties to the junta
Pres Goïta took power in a coup in May ‘21 promising greater stability; just 9 months after the previous coup
He forced out #France’s Barkhane forces, undermined the UN mission, & turned to #Russia. Not to bring stability, but to secure his junta’s interests
#Russia's Wagner has released a new propaganda documentary "Best in Hell" produced by Prigozhin, who has been on something of a PR campaign
Far from framing Wagner as the saviors or just in their actions, they acknowledge "We know that we will go to hell"
1/13
The opening of the video notes the recent death of Alexie Nagin - Prigozhin attended the funeral
It's part of a concerted effort to elevate Wagner mercs to hero status in RUS. Increasingly they are awarded state medals - including Nagin & Prigozhin
Worth noting that the video includes the line "We have a contract with our homeland"
Despite the open secrete that is Wagner, private military contractors are illegal in Russia & this has been seen as Kremlin leverage over Prigozhin & his contractors
A withdrawal from Burkina Faso would be another blow to operation Barkhane and further limit the missions capabilities in the triborder region
If ISGS & AQIM take advantage of the situation, the new government will face significant challenges improving the security situation
A junta that gains power due to insecurity will be on shaky footing if they can’t deliver on those promises - as we saw with Dambia who took power just 8 months ago
Now there is likely concern that spill over into Niger may destabilize their government as well