Ukraine gets associated to Africa terror assault
Date
8/11/2024 8:25:17 AM
(MENAFN) Ukraine is embroiled in a diplomatic controversy in Africa following remarks by its officials that appeared to endorse a recent rebel assault in Mali. This attack, which targeted a military convoy including members of the Russian Wagner Group and Malian soldiers, has exacerbated tensions in a region long plagued by jihadist violence.
The conflict began when Tuareg insurgents ambushed a convoy in the village of Tinzaouaten in northern Mali in late July, resulting in numerous casualties. Ukrainian military intelligence spokesperson Andrey Yusov, in a national TV interview, described the attack as a “successful military operation against Russian war criminals.” Yusov claimed that the operation was executed with assistance from Ukrainian agents and hinted at further such actions in the future. This interview, shared by Ukraine’s embassy in Dakar, was later deleted, but not before it fueled significant controversy.
The comments have provoked strong reactions from Mali and its West African neighbors, who have accused Ukraine of supporting “international terrorism.” The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which Mali’s military government and its allies in Burkina Faso and Niger had exited earlier this year, condemned the endorsement. ECOWAS stressed that it would not tolerate any external interference that jeopardizes the region’s peace and stability.
The situation has heightened tensions between Ukraine and West African nations, with local leaders expressing deep concern over what they view as unwelcome foreign involvement in their regional conflicts.
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