The United States has taken action by imposing sanctions against Mali’s defense minister and two military officials, alleging their involvement in facilitating the rise of the Russian mercenary group Wagner in the West African nation.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken made the announcement on Monday, stating that the sanctions target Malian Defence Minister Colonel Sadio Camara, Air Force Chief of Staff Colonel Alou Boi Diarra, and Deputy Chief of Staff Lieutenant Colonel Adama Bagayoko.

According to Blinken, the trio has been actively working to “facilitate and expand Wagner’s presence in Mali since December 2021,” leading to a significant increase in civilian fatalities, which surged by 278 percent after the Russian mercenaries arrived in the country.

Blinken pointed out that many of these civilian deaths occurred during joint operations conducted by the Malian Armed Forces in collaboration with members of the Wagner Group, Al-Jazeera reported.

In a separate statement, Brian Nelson, an official from the US Treasury Department, emphasized that these Malian officials played a crucial role in enabling the Wagner Group to entrench itself in Mali over the past two years.

Nelson further expressed concern that their actions have made the people of Mali vulnerable to the destabilizing activities and human rights abuses perpetrated by the Wagner Group.

Additionally, their actions have opened the door for the exploitation of Mali’s sovereign resources, benefiting the Wagner Group’s operations in Ukraine.

Written by staff