The US has announced sanctions against three top Malian officials said to be co-ordinating the spread of Russian private military firm Wagner in the West African country. They are Mali's defence minister, air force chief and the deputy chief of staff, says US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. He says civilian deaths have tripled since Wagner forces were deployed to Mali in December 2021, adding "many of those deaths were the result of operations conducted by the Malian armed forces alongside members of the Wagner group". Washington and its allies have for years hit the Wagner group and its supporters with sanctions, accusing the paramilitary group of rights abuses and spreading misinformation. Last week, the UK sanctioned 13 individuals with links to Wagner in the Central African Republic, Mali and Sudan.

Source: Daily Nation July 25, 2023 09:12 UTC