Niger breaks off diplomatic ties with Ukraine 'with immediate effect'

NIAMEY -- Niger will break off diplomatic ties with Ukraine "with immediate effect," Amadou Abdramane, spokesman for the Niger military government, announced on national television on Tuesday.

He said in a statement that the move was taken because of Kyiv's "support for terrorist organizations," and called the UN Security Council to make a ruling on Ukraine's "aggression."

The statement said that "considering the seriousness of the situation, and the recognized and assumed involvement of Ukraine in the aggression of Mali," the Nigerien government, in solidarity with the Malian government and people, decided to break off "with immediate effect" diplomatic relations with Ukraine, and the referral to the UN Security Council with a view to ruling on the Ukrainian "aggression" and its sponsors.

On Sunday, Mali's transitional government said it would sever diplomatic relations with Ukraine "with immediate effect," citing Ukraine's acknowledged involvement in an act of aggression against Mali.

The decision was taken in response to "subversive remarks" made by Andriy Yusov, spokesperson for the Ukrainian military intelligence, who recently admitted Ukraine's involvement in an attack by "armed terrorist groups" that resulted in the deaths of Malian defense and security forces personnel in Tinzaoutene, according to Abdoulaye Maiga, the Malian government's spokesperson.

On July 30, the Malian Armed Forces reported having suffered "significant human losses" during intense fighting on July 26 against a "coalition of terrorist forces" in the northeastern part of the country.

Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger announced the creation of the Confederation of the Alliance of Sahel States during the institution's first summit in early July.