From Ukraine to Mali... are drones leading a new thread in the Sahel's terrorism file?

Written by Omnia Hassan

Financial authorities have revealed they possess what they described as ”evidence” proving that a number of armed individuals who participated in attacks within the country received military training in Ukraine. This development adds a new dimension to the case of armed groups active in the Sahel region.  African.

Vice-President of the Defense and Security Committee of the Malian National Transitional Council, Fousseyni Traore, stated that security agencies have identified individuals who received training in Ukraine on the use and operation of suicide drones, confirming that the names of these individuals have been added to the watchlists of the Malian authorities.

“Vattara also added, in statements reported by the Russian agency ”TASS', that financial investigations have yielded information about the nature of the training these elements received, pointing out that the drones used by the armed groups carry Ukrainian specifications, origin, or manufacture, according to him.".

Accusations of foreign support for armed groups in northern Mali

The financial official clarified that his country believes the armed groups active in the north of the country have received human and training support from external parties, pointing to the presence of elements coming from neighboring countries, including Libya and Algeria, in addition to his mention of foreign trainers participating in the training of some fighters.

Watarra also spoke about the presence of elements from Tuareg groups among the apprehended militants, noting that some of them speak dialects different from the Tamashek dialect prevailing among Malian Tuaregs, which he considered an indicator of their potential affiliation with other regions in North and West Africa.

What is the truth about the alleged Ukrainian drills?

The financial official's statements come amid escalating mutual accusations regarding Ukraine's role in conflict zones outside Europe. However, the issue of training terrorist groups in Ukraine still relies primarily on statements from parties linked to the conflict, and independent international bodies have not yet provided decisive public evidence proving all the details of these claims.

Financial authorities have previously accused external parties of involvement in supporting armed groups operating within the country, while Ukraine has previously denied accusations of supporting terrorist organizations or engaging in illicit armed activities outside its territory.

Reports from international organizations concerned with combating terrorism and security in the Sahel region indicate that armed groups in Mali rely on complex networks of financing, recruitment, and armament, with their activities extending across borders with Algeria, Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mauritania.

Escalating battles in northern Mali

These statements coincided with the continuation of military operations carried out by the Malian army against armed groups in the north of the country. The Malian Ministry of Defense announced in July the occurrence of attacks targeting military sites in a number of areas, including Aguelhoc, Anefis, Gao, Kéniéba, Konna, Sévary and Somadougou.

The ministry said that Malian forces, with the support of their allies, managed to repel the attacks, while clashes later concentrated around the town of Anéfis, which hosts an important military base.

Earlier, reports indicated military operations in northern Mali resulted in the deaths of a large number of militants, as part of an ongoing security campaign to counter the expansion of groups linked to terrorist organizations in the Sahel region.