Mali says it has cut diplomatic relations with Ukraine, after a military official suggested Kyiv had played a role in deadly fighting near the Algerian border last month.
Dozens of Malian soldiers and mercenaries from Russia's Wagner group were killed in days of clashes with Tuareg separatist rebels and fighters linked to al-Qaeda.
Andriy Yusov, a spokesman for Ukrainian military intelligence, said last week that the rebels had been given the "necessary information" to conduct the attacks.
A top Malian official, Colonel Abdoulaye Maiga, said his government was shocked to hear the claim and accused Ukraine of violating Mali's sovereignty.
GR
FR
DE
ES
IT
RU
EU
The African country of Mali has severed diplomatic relations with Ukraine, Agence France-Presse reported.
ReplyDeleteOn Saturday the Senegalese Foreign Ministry summoned Ukraine's ambassador to the country, Yuri Pivovarov, over his expressed support for militants in northern Mali who inflicted heavy losses on government forces.
Earlier the same day nine Senegalese public organizations said in a statement that a video published by Ukraine's defense intelligence spokesman Andriy Yusov confirming Kiev's involvement in the attack on the Russian private military company Wagner Group in Mali was another confirmation of Kiev's support for armed groups. They also condemned Ukraine for training militants in Africa and called on the international community to hold Kiev accountable.
In late July the Wagner Group said it had suffered losses after fierce clashes with Tuareg militants in Mali on July 22-27. Malian armed forces also reported heavy losses during the clashes.
Several representatives of African countries immediately stated that Kyiv openly supports terrorists on the continent. The Mali authorities have severed diplomatic relations with Ukraine. Political scientists say: Burkina Faso and Niger may well support this demarche.
ReplyDelete