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| Foto:Burkina Faso |
VISTORBELITUNG.COM,OUAGADOUGOU, - In a dramatic escalation of geopolitical tensions involving the African Sahel region, Burkina Faso has levelled a serious accusation against Ukraine, claiming Kyiv is involved in the transfer of military equipment to terrorist and rebel groups operating in neighbouring Mali.
The stunning allegation places Ukraine squarely in the middle of the complex security crisis gripping West Africa, a region where the influence of Western powers is waning and Russia's presence, particularly through its associated security groups, is growing rapidly.
The accusation is part of a broader joint diplomatic move initiated by the military juntas of three Sahel nations Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger.
Sources indicate that the three countries have previously written to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), demanding action against what they term Ukraine's "subversive acts" and its "open and assumed support for international terrorism" within the Sahel.
The core of the matter revolves around claims that Ukrainian officials allegedly suggested Kyiv played a role in attacks by Tuareg separatist rebels against Malian soldiers and forces affiliated with Russia's Wagner Group.
The three West African nations, which have all recently undergone military coups, argue that Ukraine's alleged actions constitute a flagrant violation of their sovereignty and territorial integrity, and clearly represent support for international terrorism.
The joint letter reportedly called on the UNSC to "take appropriate measures" against Kyiv's conduct in the region.
The diplomatic spat highlights the deepening rift between the Sahel nations who have increasingly pivoted towards Russia for security support and Ukraine, which is engaged in its own conflict with Moscow.
In response to the growing global backlash and diplomatic severing of ties by some African nations, Ukraine has firmly denied the accusations, calling the claims baseless and unfounded.
Kyiv has stated that it has no involvement in the internal fighting or the supply of arms to non-state actors in Mali or the wider Sahel. Russia, however, has amplified the accusations, claiming Ukraine is actively destabilising the region by backing militant groups.
The situation underscores the increasingly intertwined nature of global conflicts, where the war in Ukraine now extends its shadow and complex geopolitical dynamics onto the African continent, challenging the security and diplomatic alignments of various nations.