- Malian soldiers died in the clashes
- Abdoulaye accused Ukraine of violating Mali's sovereignty
- This incident has further complicated Mali's security situation
Mali has announced the immediate severance of diplomatic relations with Ukraine, following a Ukrainian military official’s suggestion that Kyiv played a role in recent deadly fighting near the Algerian border.
The clashes, which occurred last month, resulted in the deaths of dozens of Malian soldiers and Russian mercenaries from the Wagner group.
Ukrainian military intelligence spokesman Andriy Yusov claimed that the rebels had received “necessary information” to conduct the attacks, prompting a strong response from Mali.
Colonel Abdoulaye Maiga, a top Malian official, expressed shock and accused Ukraine of violating Mali’s sovereignty.
Mali’s government has taken umbrage with Yusov’s comments, which they believe admitted Ukraine’s involvement in the “cowardly, treacherous, and barbaric attack” that led to the deaths of Malian soldiers.
As a result, Mali has decided to break off relations with Ukraine with immediate effect.
The fighting in question erupted on July 25 and involved Tuareg separatist rebels and fighters linked to al-Qaeda.
Malian and Russian forces were ambushed while waiting for reinforcements, resulting in significant losses.
Estimates suggest that between 20 to 80 Wagner fighters were killed, along with an unknown number of Malian soldiers.
This incident has further complicated Mali’s security situation, which has been precarious for over a decade.
The country’s central government lost control of much of the north following a Tuareg rebellion, which was later exacerbated by the involvement of Islamist militants.
The military junta, which seized power in 2020 and 2021, has sought to quell the unrest by severing ties with France and turning to Russia for support.
