US sanctions Malian officials connected to the Wagner Group

BY JIBRIL TURE
Just an hour ago this afternoon of Monday, July 24, the US government, via the State Department, announced that it is imposing sanctions on three high-level Malian officials because of their connection with the Wagner Group.
The sanctions thus announced are in line with President Biden’s Executive Order 14024 of April 15, 2021. Acting in accordance with the President’s Executive Order, the U.S. Department of the Treasury has designated Malian Defense Minister Colonel Sadio Camara, Air Force Chief of Staff Colonel Alou Boi Diarra, and Deputy Chief of Staff Lieutenant Colonel Adama Bagayoko “for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, the Wagner Group.
According to the statement, since Wagner forces deployed to Mali in December 2021, civilian fatalities have surged by 278 percent in the country, largely as a result of operations conducted by Malian Armed Forces alongside members of the Wagner Group—which the U.S. government describes as a terrorist group.
“The United States will continue to take action against those who facilitate the Wagner Group’s destabilizing activities, which pose threats to peace and security in Mali and the region,” the announcement states, adding, “As the largest bilateral donor of development and humanitarian assistance to Mali, the United States supports the people of Mali in their aspirations for peace, prosperity, and democracy.”
To read more about the U.S. Treasury Department’s designation, click here
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