Mali has announced the severance of diplomatic relations with Ukraine following accusations from a Ukrainian military official suggesting Kyiv’s involvement in deadly clashes near the Algerian border last month.

The incident resulted in the deaths of dozens of Malian soldiers and Russian Wagner group mercenaries during days of intense fighting with Tuareg separatist rebels and fighters linked to al-Qaeda. Andriy Yusov, a spokesman for Ukrainian military intelligence, stated last week that the rebels had received the “necessary information” to conduct the attacks.

Colonel Abdoulaye Maiga, a senior Malian official, expressed shock at Yusov’s claim, accusing Ukraine of violating Mali’s sovereignty. In a statement, Col Maiga condemned Yusov’s comments, saying they “admitted Ukraine’s involvement in a cowardly, treacherous, and barbaric attack by armed terrorist groups” that resulted in the deaths of Malian soldiers. Consequently, Mali has decided to break off relations “with immediate effect.”

Last week, Mali’s army acknowledged suffering “significant” losses during the fighting, which erupted on July 25 near the desert town of Tinzaouaten, located on the northeastern border with Algeria. Reports indicate that Malian and Russian forces were ambushed by Tuareg rebels and fighters from the al-Qaeda affiliate Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin while awaiting reinforcements after retreating from Tinzaouaten.

Neither Mali’s military nor Wagner—which has since rebranded as the Africa Corps—has provided exact casualty figures. However, estimates suggest that Wagner’s losses range from 20 to 80 fighters, marking their heaviest toll in Mali since they began assisting the military government two years ago. Wagner acknowledged the death of one of its commanders and the downing of a Russian helicopter in “fierce fighting,” attributing the attack to around 1,000 fighters.

Tuareg-led separatists claimed on Thursday that they had killed 84 Wagner mercenaries and 47 Malian soldiers. Over a decade ago, Mali’s central government lost control of much of the north following a Tuareg rebellion demanding a separate state. The conflict was further complicated by the involvement of Islamist militants.

In the wake of coups in 2020 and 2021, Mali’s military junta cited the previous government’s inability to address the unrest as justification for their actions. The junta subsequently severed Mali’s long-standing alliance with former colonial power France in favor of Russia, aiming to quell the ongoing conflict.