The military juntas of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have accused Ukraine of backing rebel groups in the West African Sahel region, escalating tensions between the countries.
In a letter to the United Nations Security Council, the juntas denounced Ukraine’s alleged support for the rebels, citing the recent clashes in Mali’s north that resulted in the deaths of Malian soldiers and Russian Wagner mercenaries.
The dispute began after a spokesperson for Ukraine’s military intelligence agency claimed that Malian rebels had received “necessary” information to carry out the attack
However, a Tuareg rebel alliance has denied receiving any Ukrainian support.
Mali and Niger have cut diplomatic ties with Ukraine over the allegations, accusing the country of supporting “international terrorism.” Ukraine has repeatedly rejected these claims as baseless.
In their letter to the Security Council, the foreign ministers of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger urged the UN to “take responsibility” for Ukraine’s actions and prevent “subversive acts” that threaten regional stability.
A copy of the letter was posted on the X account of the Alliance of Sahel States, a grouping formed by the three countries.
The letter was circulated to the 15-member Security Council on Tuesday evening. Ukraine’s foreign ministry has not yet responded to the accusations.
Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have increasingly aligned themselves with Russia since their military juntas took power.
Their rejection of traditional Western and regional allies has contributed to the growing tensions in the Sahel region.
