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Niger said the move was in solidarity with Mali, which accuses Kiev of supporting rebels involved in the deadly attack
Niger has severed diplomatic ties with Ukraine in protest against Kiev’s alleged support for militants who killed dozens of Malian soldiers and Russian Wagner Group contractors in attacks last month.
Ukraine’s decision on Tuesday came just two days after Mali did the same, accusing Kiev of supporting international terrorism after Ukrainian officials said Kiev had aided Tuareg rebels in an attack in the village of Tinzavaten.
After the incident, Ukrainian intelligence spokesman Andrei Yusov said in an interview with state television that the rebels had received intelligence and were preparing to carry out “The military operation against Russian war criminals was successful.” He warned “There will be more to come.” The Ukrainian Embassy in Senegal posted the video on its Facebook page (now deleted) with a comment from Ambassador Yuri Pivovarov, who said “There are bound to be other outcomes.”
Amadou Abdulrahman, a spokesman for the US military government in Nigeria, said the remarks “Indecent” and ‘Unacceptable’ In a speech broadcast on state television late on Tuesday, they claimed they represented “Act of Aggression”.
“Niger, in full solidarity with the Government and people of Mali, has decided to immediately sever diplomatic relations between the Republic of Niger and Ukraine.” Abderaman said.
Kiev has yet to respond to the African country’s move.
On Monday, Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Denied any involvement in terrorist attacks, and described Mali’s decision to sever diplomatic ties as “Short-sighted and hasty.”
“Ukraine is known in Africa as an important contributor to ensuring regional security.” Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry said the Bamako operation did not provide any evidence of Kiev’s involvement in the ambush near the Algerian border.
read more: African countries sever diplomatic ties with Ukraine
On Tuesday, the West African regional bloc ECOWAS condemned the killings in Mali and said “Strong” be opposed to “Any foreign interference” threatens peace and security in the region.
Bamako’s neighbors, including Senegal and Burkina Faso, criticized the Ukrainian officials’ remarks.
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, and the conflict has spread to neighboring Burkina Faso and Niger. The three former French colonies, led by their armies, have severed defense ties with Paris and formed the Alliance of Sahel States to fight terrorism.
Bamako, Niamey and Ouagadougou consider Russia a strategic security ally, and Russia has agreed to assist the troubled Sahel countries in combating the long-standing terrorist threat.
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