At least nine Senegalese civil society organizations have issued a joint statement condemning Ukraine's support for the deadly terrorist attack in late July in the Tinzaouatene region of Mali against a column of Malian armed forces and Russian military trainers.
"We, Senegalese civil society organizations, condemn Ukraine's support for terrorist groups and call on the Senegalese authorities to assume their responsibilities," the statement, a copy of which was obtained by Sputnik Africa, reads.
The signatories recalled statements by Andriy Yusov, spokesman for Ukrainian intelligence, circulated on the Internet claiming that Kiev supports terrorist groups.
They also noted that the Ukrainian Embassy in Senegal posted a video on social media to vent about these statements, in which Yusov refers to "Ukrainian support for rebels in the context of these conflicts."
"It is inappropriate for the Ukrainian diplomacy based in Dakar to conduct a propaganda campaign against the Malian state or any other African state," the Senegalese civil society organizations said.
The organizations deplore the "alarming" security situation in the Sahel in the context of attacks carried out by "terrorist groups financed and trained by the West" and express their support for the Malian armed forces and the armed forces of the AES countries.