The United States has imposed sanctions on three Malian officials, including the Minister of Defense, over their alleged facilitation of the Russian mercenary group Wagner in the country.

The US Treasury Department stated that Defense Minister Sadio Camara, Air Force Chief of Staff Alou Boi Diarra, and Air Force Deputy Chief of Staff Adama Bagayoko have contributed to Wagner's deployment and expansion in Mali.

These officials have been accused of making their people vulnerable to Wagner's destabilizing activities and human rights abuses, while also allowing the exploitation of Mali's resources for the benefit of Wagner's operations in Ukraine.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has also accused the Malian armed forces and foreign fighters believed to be from the Wagner group of executing dozens of civilians during anti-jihadist operations. HRW reported that these abuses have been taking place since late 2022 in response to the presence of Islamist armed groups in several towns.

These allegations align with the UN's previous accusation of the Malian army and foreign fighters, identified as Wagner by the US, for the murder of 500 people during an anti-jihadist operation in May. The Malian military junta denied these allegations.

It is worth noting that the junta in Bamako, which took power in 2020, has severed defense cooperation with France and increased its ties with Russia. Last month, the UN Security Council voted to end a decade-old peacekeeping mission in Mali, a move that the junta supported as it demanded the withdrawal of the international force battling jihadists.

Russia has affirmed that the Wagner group will continue its operations in Mali and the Central African Republic (CAR), despite the leader's aborted insurrection and subsequent exile in Belarus. The US and other countries have taken action against Wagner and its affiliates.

Last week, Britain announced sanctions against individuals and businesses connected to Wagner in Mali, CAR, and Sudan, accusing them of various crimes, including killings and torture. This list includes Ivan Aleksandrovich Maslov, the head of Wagner in Mali, as well as top officials in CAR. The US had previously sanctioned Maslov in May.

The imposition of sanctions by the US highlights its concerns about Wagner's activities and its role as a proxy military force of the Kremlin in Africa. The US has also expressed concerns about Wagner's destabilizing activities and its role in the departure of UN peacekeepers from Mali.

There are also suspicions that Wagner may be using Mali and other countries to conceal its efforts to acquire military equipment for use in Ukraine.