Sahel: Security Council must call out “Ukraine's support for terrorism” - Burkina, Mali and Niger

Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger have petitioned the president of the UN Security Council to denounce what they call the Ukrainian government's “open support for international terrorism” in the Sahel.

A letter dated August 19 and signed by the envoys to the UN of the three Sahelian countries was released on Tuesday (Aug. 20).

The move follows recent comments by Ukrainian officials who said that Kyiv had played a role in attacks by separatist rebels in Tinzawaten, northeastern Mali.

Andriy Yusov, a spokesperson for Ukraine's military spy agency, mentioned on television that Malian rebels received the "necessary" information to carry out the attack.

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In late July, Tuareg rebels claimed responsibility for the losses inflicted on the Malian armed forces. They claimed killing at least 84 Russian Wagner mercenaries and 47 Malian soldiers.

Andriy Yusov later on retracted his remarks.

In the letter sent to the UN security Council president, the foreign ministers of the Alliance of the Sahel States (AES) countries are urging the Security Council to act to prevent new subversive and destabilizing actions.

They said the comments by Ukrainian officials some states play in the expansion of terrorism in the Sahel.

The United Nations Charter gives the Security Council primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security.