Niger's government announces severance of diplomatic relations with Ukraine

Niger has announced that it has severed diplomatic relations with Ukraine, following Mali’s decision.

Source: Al Arabiya

Details: Niger announced that it was severing diplomatic relations with Ukraine "with immediate effect" on 6 August.

This comes two days after Mali accused Kyiv of allegedly supporting Tuareg rebels who recently defeated a convoy of Malian soldiers and Russian mercenaries from the Wagner Group. Ukraine's Foreign Ministry labelled a decision by the transitional government of Mali to cut diplomatic ties with Ukraine as "short-sighted and hasty" and has promised a political and diplomatic response.

Background:

• The Malian army and its Russian allies have suffered losses from Tuareg rebels. On Saturday, Tuaregs from the CSP-PSD movement showed photos and videos of a destroyed Wagner Private Military Company (PMC) convoy.
• The fighting took place in the town of Tinzaouatene, near Mali's border with Algeria, on Thursday, 25 July and Friday, 26 July. At least 20 Wagner fighters were killed and the rest were captured.
• In addition to the deaths or capture of scores of Russian Wagner mercenaries in Mali’s north, a Russian mercenary propagandist and administrator from the Grey Zone Telegram channel was killed.
• Tuareg rebels in Mali were photographed holding a Ukrainian flag after killing dozens of Russians from the Wagner PMC.

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