Mali cuts Ukraine ties after Wagner ambush
Mali has severed diplomatic relations with Ukraine after officials in Kyiv said they had supported a Malian rebel ambush that killed dozens of Russian Wagner Group fighters and Malian soldiers late last month.
The assault took place in the northern Tinzaouatene commune near the border with Algeria. It reportedly involved the mainly Tuareg CSP coalition as well as JNIM, which is Al-Qaeda’s official regional franchise, though the former group has tried to downplay the latter’s involvement.
The number of casualties hasn’t been verified – the CSP said it killed 84 mercenaries while Wagner has not provided a total – but it appears the assault was the deadliest attack yet on the mercenary group’s African operations.
Ukraine’s military intelligence agency said it had supported the assault, ensuring “the rebels received necessary information, and not just information” to fight against “Russian war criminals”.
Though Kyiv’s involvement has not been independently verified – and the country has its own propaganda interests given its ongoing war with Russia – Mali said its statement had caused “deep shock” and that it would break off diplomatic ties “with immediate effect”.
“The actions taken by the Ukrainian authorities violate the sovereignty of Mali, go beyond the scope of foreign interference, which is already condemnable in itself, and constitute a clear aggression against Mali and support for international terrorism,” Mali’s government said.
Wagner has been present in Mali since late 2021 – supporting army campaigns against jihadist and non-jihadist groups – though the Malian government officially denies its presence on the ground.
Wagner helped the military capture the northern town of Kidal from the CSP last year – a victory with major political significance for the ruling junta – yet its mercenaries have been involved in massive huge rights abuses, most notoriously in the central town of Moura.
Nearly 350,000 Malians are currently internally displaced, and seven million people – 32% of the current population – are in need of humanitarian assistance and protection, according to the UN.
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