Russia-Ukraine conflict finds new battleground in Africa’s Sahel

Ukraine has vowed to counter Russia wherever it can, even “in the scorching sands” of the Sahelian desert, as evidence mounts that Kyiv is backing Tuareg separatists battling Mali’s army and its Russian allies.
Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso — all led by military juntas that have turned their backs on former colonial ruler France and moved closer to Russia — have reacted by severing diplomatic relations with Kyiv.
They accuse Ukraine of supplying weapons to the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) — a predominantly Tuareg armed separatist group loosely allied to Al-Qaeda’s Sahel branch, the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM).
“In Africa and the Sahel, (Ukraine) is providing cl...