For having “facilitated the deployment and expansion” of the Russian paramilitary group Wagner‘s actions in Mali, the United States on Monday slapped economic sanctions against three Malian officers, among them the current Minister of Defence.
Three Malian army personnel are the focus of these sanctions: Colonel Sadio Camara, Minister of Defence and French national, Colonel Alou Boi Diarra, and Lieutenant-Colonel Adama Bagayoko, both Air Force officials.
According to a statement from the US Treasury, there is “evidence showing that these Malian officials contributed to the malicious activities of the Wagner group in Mali”.
The Wagner Group’s entrenchment in Mali during the last two years has been exposed by today’s action, according to important Malian officials. Brian Nelson, the under secretary of the Treasury for financial and terrorist intelligence, was quoted as saying in the statement.
“These officials have made their people vulnerable to the Wagner Group’s destabilising activities and human rights abuses while paving the way for the exploitation of their country’s sovereign resources to benefit the Wagner Group’s operations in Ukraine,” he continued.
These three officials are not allowed to conduct business with American citizens or firms, and their American assets have been blocked.
Washington claims that since the Wagner group arrived in Mali in December 2021, there have been 278% more civilian casualties there, particularly as a result of actions conducted by the Malian armed forces alongside members of the Wagner group.
The United States imposed economic penalties on this group in June 2017 and subsequently renewed them in January 2018.
Following Yevgeny Prigojine’s 24-hour insurrection in Russia in June, Wagner’s future, who fought in the Ukraine and whose presence has been confirmed in various African nations as well as Syria, is in doubt.
Moscow stated that the “countries involved” will determine its future in Africa.