Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger accuse Ukraine of Sahel terrorism support

Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger petitioned the president of the U.N. Security Council on Tuesday to denounce the Ukrainian government’s “open and assumed support for international terrorism” particularly in Africa’s Sahel region.

The move follows recent comments by Ukrainian officials suggesting that Kyiv had played a role in attacks by Tuareg separatist rebels that caused the deaths of many Malian soldiers last month in the northeastern village of Tinzawaten on the border with Algeria.

In a joint letter, the three countries’ foreign ministers said their governments were shocked by the comments of Andriy Yusov, a spokesperson for Ukrainian military intelligence, “admitting Ukraine’s role in the cowardly, barbaric and criminal attacks” between July 24 and 26.

It added that the remarks were confirmed by Yurii Pyvovarov, Ukraine’s ambassador to Senegal.

Yusov said the rebels received “the necessary information they needed” to conduct the attacks after Malian army allies of Russia’s Wagner Group confirmed “losses” in the clashes.

The letter called on the Security Council to “take appropriate measures against these subversive actions which strengthen terrorist groups in Africa.”

It said the official’s comments go beyond the scope of foreign interference, which is condemnable itself.

“This is official and unequivocal support by the Ukrainian government for terrorism in Africa, particularly in the Sahel. These acts also constitute a violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our States, clear aggression and support for international terrorism, in flagrant violation of the Charter of the United Nations and the relevant international conventions,” the letter says in part.

The three countries, ruled by military juntas, have signed a defense pact under their formation called the Confederation of Sahel States.

The Tinzawaten area has been a battleground between separatist forces and the Malian army over the past decade.

Mali and Niger earlier this month severed diplomatic relations with Ukraine, citing comments by the Ukrainian military official suggesting that Kyiv played a role in the July attacks.

Alliance of Sahel States

Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger have signed a joint defense agreement that includes a commitment to provide military support to each other against threats of armed insurgency or external aggression. This agreement, called the “Alliance of Sahel States”, was established on Sept. 16, 2023, and was officially launched on July 6, 2024.

According to the agreement, an attack on any of the three countries is considered an attack on all of them and an obligation is imposed to provide military assistance in such a case.

“Any attack on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of one or more contracting parties shall be considered an attack on the other parties. It constitutes a duty to assist, including the use of armed forces to restore security.”

This alliance was formed after ECOWAS threatened military intervention in Niger following the 2023 Niger crisis.

All three countries were previously members of ECOWAS and have come under military rule in recent years, with successful coups: the 2021 coup in Mali, the September 2022 coup in Burkina Faso and the 2023 coup in Niger. The Alliance has an anti-French and anti-ECOWAS perspective.

It is known that the Sahel states, along with their junta regimes, have established close ties with Russian forces in Africa. In this process, Niger had taken steps for the US troops to leave the country.

In addition, the activities of the Russian-affiliated African Corps, a substitute for the Wagner organization, are also known in the region.