The US has issued a warning on Russian Wagner mercenaries using unrest in coup-stricken Niger, whose neighbor Mali has joined up with Moscow.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken questioned whether Wagner, which in June conducted a covert uprising against President Vladimir Putin, was behind the Nigerien military’s overthrow of the elected president, Western friend Mohamed Bazoum, on July 26.
“I think what happened and what continues to happen in Niger was not instigated by Russia or by Wagner,” Blinken said in the interview with BB , according to a transcript released by the State Department.
“But to the extent that they try to take advantage of it — and we see a repeat of what’s happened in other countries, where they’ve brought nothing but bad things in their wake — that wouldn’t be good.
“Every single place that this group, Wagner Group, has gone, death, destruction and exploitation have followed.” he added
Wagner has collaborated with countries in Africa like Mali and the Central African Republic, which has prompted several charges of abuse from rights organisations and Western governments.
Military-run In the Ukraine conflict, which Wagner has fiercely waged, Mali has recently made diplomatic moves in the direction of Russia.
Recently, the coup leaders in Niger have received solidarity declarations from Mali and Burkina Faso.
With the withdrawal of French and other foreign soldiers from Mali, Niger has become the main base for US and French anti-jihadist operations in the Sahel.
