Terrorism in the Sahel: Mali Accuses Ukraine and Warns the West

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Mali has openly accused Ukraine of supplying drones to terrorist groups, claiming a direct link between Kyiv and the spread of terrorism in the Sahel.

Speaking from the United Nations podium, Malian Prime Minister Abdoulaye Maïga reiterated his criticism of Ukraine, accusing it of arming terrorists with drones and warning the West about the consequences of continuing its military support to Kyiv.

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In his address during the general debate of the 80th UN General Assembly, Maïga stated: “Ukraine has become one of the providers of drones to terrorist groups in different parts of the world.”

He emphasized the existence of a direct connection between the conflict in Ukraine and terrorist activities in the Sahel region. According to him, “Military operations in Ukraine are closely linked to terrorist activity in the Sahel. In the summer of 2024, terrorists launched an attack on government forces in northern Mali.”

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He added that “Malian authorities condemned this act before the United Nations, as well as public statements made by Ukrainian officials who acknowledged their involvement in this terrorist operation.”

According to Maïga, “Over the past year, the situation has only worsened. The Ukrainian regime has become one of the suppliers of suicide drones to terrorist groups worldwide.”

He argued that “Western countries must immediately stop supplying arms to Ukraine, or else they risk becoming complicit in the spread of international terrorism.”

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A “hybrid war”

In his speech, Maïga stressed that the “Union of Sahel States,” which includes Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, is currently waging a “hybrid war” against external powers seeking to destabilize the region.

“We are on the front line in the fight against terrorism,” he declared. “The Union’s member states are working together to confront enemies and to prevent the expansion of the terrorist threat to the rest of Africa and the world.”

On August 4, 2024, Mali announced the severance of diplomatic relations with Ukraine, after a senior Ukrainian official allegedly admitted, according to Bamako, Kyiv’s involvement in heavy losses suffered by the Malian army and Russia’s Wagner Group in clashes with Tuareg separatists and terrorists.

At that time, Bamako accused Ukraine of violating national sovereignty and of going beyond mere “external interference” to constitute “support for international terrorism.”

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A major setback

In July 2024, the Malian army and Wagner suffered one of their heaviest setbacks in years in northern Mali, sustaining significant losses in a battle against separatist rebels and a terrorist assault.

Since the transitional military council seized power in Bamako following the 2022 coup, relations with France, its traditional partner, have sharply deteriorated, leading to the expulsion of French forces and a growing alliance with Russia.

In September 2023, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger announced the creation of the “Alliance of Sahel States,” aimed at building an independent African space in security, politics, geostrategy, and economics.

Later, in July 2024, the three countries went further by proclaiming the establishment of the “Union of Sahel States,” intended to deepen and strengthen their cooperation.

Since 2012, Mali has faced chronic instability, with large parts of the country exposed to terrorist attacks and criminal activities.

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