Mali has announced the severance of diplomatic relations with Ukraine following a military official’s claim that Kyiv played a role in deadly clashes near the Algerian border last month.
The fighting involved Malian soldiers and Russian Wagner mercenaries against Tuareg separatist rebels and al-Qaeda-linked fighters, resulting in significant casualties.
Andriy Yusov, a Ukrainian military intelligence spokesperson, stated that rebels had received “necessary information” for the attacks. In response, Colonel Abdoulaye Maiga, a top Malian official, accused Ukraine of violating Mali’s sovereignty and facilitating a “cowardly, treacherous, and barbaric attack.”
The clashes began on July 25 near Tinzaouaten, with reports of ambushes on Malian and Russian forces by Tuareg rebels and al-Qaeda affiliates. Estimated death tolls for Wagner fighters range from 20 to 80, marking their heaviest losses in Mali since joining the conflict two years ago.
The Malian junta, which came to power in coups in 2020 and 2021, has shifted its alliances from former colonial power France to Russia, seeking to address ongoing security issues exacerbated by Islamist militants and longstanding Tuareg demands for a separate state.