SpaceWar.com - Your World At War
Moscow vows military support for Mali, denies Wagner links
Moscow, Nov 11 (AFP) Nov 11, 2021
Moscow vowed Thursday to continue military cooperation with Mali and to defend the Sahel state's territorial integrity while denying any links to Russian military contractors in the country.

The Kremlin came under scrutiny earlier this year from France and Germany over a reported deal to send 1,000 fighters from the Kremlin-linked Wagner mercenary group to the conflict-ridden state.

"We realise the need to support Mali's ability to combat terrorism," Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said during talks in Moscow with his Malian counterpart, Abdoulaye Diop.

"We provide the country with the necessary equipment, weapons and ammunition. We will do whatever is necessary to prevent threats to Mali's statehood and territorial integrity," Lavrov said.

He said questions over the role of Russian mercenaries in the country should be directed to Malian authorities and that military initiatives established by private Russian citizens were not Moscow's official business.

"Regarding reports on the Malian government's plans to apply for a Russian PMC's (private military contractor's) services... this question is exclusively within the jurisdiction of the legitimate Malian government," Lavrov said.

"If those contracts are concluded with legitimate governments of sovereign states, I don't understand what can be seen as negative about that," he added.

Reports of the Wagner deal came as France is preparing to close bases in Mali where its military has been fighting an Islamist insurgency since 2013.

The shadowy military outfit has been linked to conflicts in Ukraine, Africa and the Middle East. It is believed to be close to President Vladimir Putin and has been accused of committing abuses.

Diop said Thursday he had told French officials there was no contract with Wagner but underlined that, "Mali will not allow any state or organisation to tell us with whom we have the right to communicate and with whom we do not."

Mali, a poor and landlocked nation home to at least 20 ethnic groups, is battling jihadist attacks and intercommunal violence, which often spills over to neighbouring countries.


ADVERTISEMENT




Space News from SpaceDaily.com
Trump-Musk showdown threatens US space plans
Japanese company aborts Moon mission after assumed crash-landing
Renowned Mars expert says Trump-Musk axis risks dooming mission

24/7 Energy News Coverage
'No doubt' Canadian firm will be first to extract deep sea minerals: CEO
Tabletop particle blaster: How tiny nozzles and lasers could replace giant accelerators
Set it and forget it: Autonomous structures can be programmed to jump days in advance

Military Space News, Nuclear Weapons, Missile Defense
Iran FM warns Europe against 'strategic mistake' at IAEA; Iran obtained 'sensitive' Israeli intel
DOD is investigating Hegseth's staffers over Houthi-strikes chats
Three dead as Ukraine hit with third-straight day of overnight attacks

24/7 News Coverage
Ailing Baltic Sea in need of urgent attention
Money, mining and marine parks: The big issues at UN ocean summit
Solar power farms would impact less than 1 percent of Arkansas' ag land



All rights reserved. Copyright Agence France-Presse. Sections of the information displayed on this page (dispatches, photographs, logos) are protected by intellectual property rights owned by Agence France-Presse. As a consequence, you may not copy, reproduce, modify, transmit, publish, display or in any way commercially exploit any of the content of this section without the prior written consent of Agence France-Presse.