Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger Accuse Ukraine of Supporting ‘International Terrorism’

On Wednesday, the military-led governments of Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso formally accused Ukraine of supporting international terrorism. In a letter addressed to the UN Security Council, the three nations demanded that the Council address Ukraine’s alleged actions and prevent further “subversive acts” that jeopardize regional stability.
The letter, signed by Burkina Faso’s Foreign Minister Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré, Mali’s Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop, and Niger’s Foreign Minister Bakari Yao Sangari, criticizes Ukraine for its purported support of armed movements in the Sahel region. The ministers, acting on instructions from their respective national authorities, conveyed their concerns following recent events involving Ukraine’s support for armed groups in northern Mali.
The letter condemns what it describes as Ukraine’s “open and assumed support for international terrorism” in Africa’s Sahel region. It cites statements from a Ukrainian military intelligence spokesperson acknowledging support for armed movements during a July attack by Tuareg and Arab militants, which targeted Wagner Group fighters and the Malian army. According to reports, the Tuareg separatists and insurgents were responsible for heavy casualties among Wagner mercenaries and Malian soldiers.
In response to these allegations, Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso have severed diplomatic ties with Ukraine. The letter, sent to the Permanent Representative of Sierra Leone to the UN, urges the Security Council to take action against Ukraine’s alleged support for terrorism in the Sahel.
The letter was distributed to the 15-member Security Council on Tuesday evening. In late July, clashes between the Wagner Group and Tuareg militants in the northeastern village of Tinzawaten, near the Algerian border, resulted in significant losses for both sides. Ukrainian officials, including Andriy Yusov and Ambassador to Senegal Yuriy Pivovarov, later confirmed that Ukraine had provided support to the Malian rebels, including crucial intelligence for their operations.