International condemnation and accusation of Russia for spreading and supporting Wagner mercenaries in Mali

Fourteen European countries, in addition to Canada, signed a statement condemning the deployment of Russian Wagner forces in Mali and accusing the Russian Federation government of being involved in providing material support to the group.

On Thursday, 15 Western countries condemned, in a joint statement, the deployment of elements of the Russian paramilitary group "Wagner" in Mali.

The statement was signed by France, Britain, Canada, Germany, Belgium, Denmark, Spain, Estonia, Italy, Lithuania, Norway, the Netherlands, Portugal, the Czech Republic and Romania.

The countries said in a joint statement, published by the French Foreign Ministry, that there is a "proliferation of mercenaries on Malian territory."

It denounced Moscow's involvement in "securing material support for the expansion of the Wagner Group in Mali."

The statement stressed that such deployment will only lead to "a deterioration of the security situation in West Africa, threatening the peace and reconciliation agreement in Mali, and impeding the efforts of the international community to ensure the protection of civilians."

The statement quoted the participating countries as stressing "the need to protect civilians and support the war against terrorism in the Sahel."

It is noteworthy that Russia denies any connection with its government to the Wagner Group.

Many extremist organizations are active in the African Sahel region, including the branch of Al-Qaeda in the Maghreb, where these organizations launch from time to time attacks targeting military barracks and foreigners in the Sahel countries, especially in Mali.

While the three-border area shared between Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso has turned into a new stronghold for extremist organizations, the French "Barkhane" operation, which includes 5,100 soldiers, failed to clear the region of militants, despite the presence of African Union forces and the arrival of military support from European countries.

France announced, in early July 2021, that it would resume joint military operations in Mali, after suspending them in early June, following a military coup in the country, the second in less than a year.