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At a time of tensions between Bamako and its main ally Paris, Moscow transported military equipment from Moscow.
According to the military-led authorities of West African countries, a cargo plane has transported four helicopters, weapons and ammunition from Russia to Mali.
Mali’s interim defense minister, Sadio Camara, said on Thursday night that Mali had purchased the aircraft in a contract reached in December 2020 to support its armed forces with French, European and United Nations forces. Fight together with fighters associated with ISIL and other organizations. Al-Qaeda.
After the plane landed in the capital, Bamako, he told local media on the tarmac: “Mali purchased these helicopters from the Russian Federation. The Russian Federation is a friendly country. Mali has maintained a very fruitful partnership with the country. “
He added that these weapons and ammunition are gifts from Russia.
The delivery comes at a time when relations between Mali and its main military partner, France, are strained, as reports suggest that as Paris reshapes its military mission in the region, Bamako may recruit mercenaries from a dark Russian military group.
Diplomatic and security sources told news agencies that the Malian military-led government is about to recruit the controversial Wagner group. France has initiated diplomatic actions to thwart it, saying that this arrangement is incompatible with the continued existence of France.
The possibility of an agreement between the Malian government and Wagner, a Russian private security company, reflects the country’s ongoing political transformation.
How much do we know about Wagner Group? https://t.co/It6AAsGxVw ⤵ pic.twitter.com/J9NyaLqPPC
-Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) October 1, 2021
France has deployed more than 5,000 soldiers in the Sahel under its Balkan mission, but has pledged to reduce its troops on a large scale. It warned Mali that hiring Wagner fighters would isolate the country internationally.
Since August 2020, after two military coups in Bamako and France’s decision to redesign its military operations in the region earlier this year, relations between the two countries have deteriorated sharply.
In May, Colonel Mali, who agreed to share power with civilians after the overthrow of President Ibrahim Bubacar Keita, detained civilian politicians and once again took over control of the country.
Paris strongly condemned the recent power grab and urged military rulers to ensure a little transition. Although the colonel promised to abide by the 18-month civilian transition timetable, less than 6 months before the promised election, doubts and mistrust are deepening.
Germany, which also has an army in Mali, also said that if the Malian government reaches an agreement with Wagner, it will reconsider its deployment.
Last week, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Mali near The Russian private company to strengthen the security of this conflict-torn country, adding that the Kremlin is not involved.
Lavrov’s comments came after Jose Puborel, head of EU foreign policy, warned that if Wagner’s contractors were allowed to operate in the country, the EU’s relations with Mali could be seriously affected.
On Saturday, the interim Prime Minister of Mali, Georgel Megar, accused France of abandoning his country in a speech at the United Nations.
On Thursday, President Emmanuel Macron responded to this allegation for the first time, questioning the legality of the Malian authorities to monitor the electoral transition after two coups in more than a year.
“What the Prime Minister of Mali said is unacceptable. It is a shame. It humiliates people who are not even the government,” he told Radio France Internationale.
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