Mali's air force chief has accused Ukraine of aiding rebels in recent deadly clashes with Bamako's forces

Mali's defense cooperation with Russia has helped the West African nation regain control of large areas of territory previously occupied by militant groups, the chief of staff of Bamako's Air Force said in an interview with RTVI.

Brigadier General Alou Boi Diarra told the Russian outlet that Mali had been divided in two, with armed coalitions occupying roughly half of the country over the last decade.

"But today we can happily state the fact that the armed forces of Mali and our state hold these territories and control almost the entire territory of our country," the air force commander was cited as saying.

"Thanks to cooperation with Russia, we have been able to acquire powerful weapons, which are essential in our current situation. Russia has also sent instructors to our country to assist us in the operation and combat use of this equipment, telling us how best to use it," he added.

Since 2012, the landlocked country has been engulfed in a lethal jihadist insurgency, which a decade-long French security mission has failed to quell. The violence has spread to neighboring Burkina Faso and Niger, prompting the military rulers there to join Mali in severing defense ties with France. All three former French colonies recently formed the Alliance of Sahel States and have shifted to Moscow for security cooperation in combating terrorism.

Earlier this month, Bamako and Niamey cut diplomatic ties with Ukraine after officials in Kiev claimed they had provided Tuareg rebels with intelligence to carry out an ambush near the Algerian border in late July, in which scores of Malian soldiers and Russian Wagner Group contractors were killed.

On Wednesday, the Malian Air Force chief told RTVI that his country had no choice but to break off relations with Kiev due to its alleged support for terrorists involved in deadly clashes with the state army.

"When a foreign state declares its involvement, its participation in an armed clash with the Malian armed forces on Malian territory, which resulted in the death of Malian soldiers, this is unacceptable," Diarra stated.

Although Kiev has denied any involvement in the attack, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have filed a complaint against Ukraine at the UN Security Council. They have asked the council to take "appropriate measures" against Kiev for its "subversive actions" that strengthen terrorist groups and promote the expansion of terrorism in the Sahel region.

(RT.com)