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A Malian official reportedly questioned Kiev’s ability to provide intelligence to armed groups on its own
Mali and Niger have asked the UN Security Council to investigate allegations that Ukraine provided intelligence to Tuareg rebels who killed Malian soldiers and Russian Wagner Group contractors in a recent ambush, RIA Novosti reported.
The move was announced by Fousseno Ouattara, deputy chairman of the Bamako parliament’s security and defence committee, in an interview, Russian news agencies reported on Wednesday.
“This intelligence must have been mainly passed through the Americans because they have the ability to obtain this kind of information,” said Ouattara, who expressed doubts about Ukraine’s ability to independently assist armed groups in Africa.
Bamako and Niamey have severed diplomatic ties with Kiev, accusing it of supporting “terrorist groups” after a spokesman for Ukraine’s military intelligence described the attacks in northern Mali at the end of July as a “successful military operation”. Andrei Yusov claimed that Malian rebels received the “necessary” information to launch the attack in Tinzavaten and warned that more attacks were to follow.
On Sunday, the Malian government expressed shock at Ukraine’s remarks, calling them Kiev’s support for terrorism in the Sahel region and a violation of Mali’s sovereignty. condemn Mali’s Foreign Ministry described the “obscene” and “unacceptable” remarks by Ukrainian officials as an “act of aggression” and decided on Tuesday to “immediately” cut diplomatic ties with Kiev in “full solidarity with the Malian government and people.”
West African regional body ECOWAS condemned the attack in Mali and warned against “any foreign interference” that threatens peace and security in the region.
On Saturday, the Sahel country’s neighbor Senegal released statementIt also said it was “unacceptable … statements and gestures that apologize for terrorism, especially when the goal of terrorism is to destabilize a brotherly country like Mali.”
Burkina Faso also called Calling on the international community to hold Ukraine accountable for “subversive actions that threaten Africa’s stability.” The Burkina Faso Ministry of Foreign Affairs said: “Ukraine must not fight the wrong battle and should not provide any form of support to these terrorists.”
Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry subsequently denied Kyiv’s involvement in the incident and called Mali’s decision to sever ties “short-sighted and hasty.”
The Russian Foreign Ministry said: “The allegations made by the government’s representatives against Ukraine in their statement do not withstand any criticism and are completely groundless and untrue.” explain Niger responded on Thursday.
Mali has been mired in a jihadist insurgency that has killed thousands since 2012. A decade-long French military operation has failed to quell the violence, which has spread to neighboring Burkina Faso and Niger. The three former French colonies, which are under military rule, have severed defense ties with Paris and formed the Alliance of Sahel States to fight terrorism.
Bamako, Niamey and Ouagadougou count Russia as a strategic security ally, and Russia has agreed to help the troubled Sahel countries deal with the long-standing threat of terrorism.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused Kiev of opening a “second front” in the conflict with Moscow in African countries that support Russia in an interview with RIA Novosti on Wednesday.
（RT.com）
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