The Tuareg rebels in Mali claim that they did not receive help from Ukraine in the fighting against the country's military junta and Russian mercenaries of the "Wagner" PMC.
Points of attention
- Tuareg rebels in Mali deny receiving any assistance from Ukraine in the attack on the 'Wagner' PMC, clarifying the information that sparked controversy.
- The defeat of the Wagner PMC rebels and Malian soldiers in Tinzahuaten led to significant losses, raising questions about foreign involvement in the conflict.
- The Tuareg insurgency against the Malian government began in 2012 and continues to clash with Islamist groups in the region.
- Despite signing a peace agreement with Bamako in 2015, the rebels withdrew from negotiations by the end of 2022, highlighting ongoing tensions in the area.
- The conflict between the Tuaregs and the Wagner PMC underscores the complex dynamics at play in Mali, with implications for regional stability.
The Tuareg deny information about Ukraine's assistance in the attack on the "Wagner" PMC in Mali
We can clearly say that we did not receive any foreign aid for the fighting in Tinzahuaten, - said the representative of the rebel alliance, Mohamed El-Mawloud Ramadan.
According to him, the Ukrainian side allegedly did not provide any help to the rebels during the attack on the army of Mali and the mercenaries of the "Wagner" PMC in July.
The Tuareg are an ethnic group that inhabits the Sahara region, in particular, part of northern Mali. The group launched an insurgency against the Malian junta government in 2012, but the insurgency was later overrun by Islamist groups. In 2015, the rebels signed a peace agreement with Bamako, but at the end of 2022 they withdrew from the negotiations. The Wagnerites, in particular, are fighting against the Tuareg.
What is known about the defeat by the rebels of the "Wagner" PMC and the military army of Mali
In early August, northern rebels said they had killed at least 84 Wagner Russian mercenaries and 47 Malian soldiers during fierce fighting in the town of Tinzahuaten, near the border with Algeria. It is Wagner's biggest defeat since he stepped in two years ago to help the West African nation's military.
Neither Mali nor the Wagner group said how many soldiers they had lost in the fighting, although the Wagner group said in a statement on July 29 that it had suffered heavy casualties. Malian authorities have also acknowledged heavy casualties in the battle, without giving figures.
Later, photos of Tuareg rebels with the flag of Ukraine were published in the mass media.
