Washington on Thursday, May 25, announced a series of economic sanctions against the head of Russia’s Wagner paramilitary group in Mali, Ivan Maslov, who it accused of procuring military equipment from Mali to use in the conflict in Ukraine.
These sanctions “against the key executive of the Wagner Group in Mali are aimed at terminating essential operations in support of the group’s worldwide activities,” said Treasury Department Undersecretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian Nelson, quoted in the press release.
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These sanctions include the confiscation of all of Ivan Maslov’s assets in the United States, financial and real estate assets, as well as companies that have a direct capital connection with Mr. Maslov, and prohibit American companies or companies located in American territory from doing even the slightest transaction with Mr. Maslov or companies he controls. “The Wagner Group’s presence on the African continent is a destabilizing force for any country that allows its operations on its territory,” added Nelson.
“Human Rights Violations”
This is not the first time sanctions have been imposed on the Wagner Group or some of its members for their actions in Mali. The European Union had therefore announced in late February a series of sanctions against a dozen people, including Mr Maslow, for “human rights abuses” attributed to the local paramilitary company.
Founded in 2014, the Wagner paramilitary group is considered an international terrorist organization in the United States. The USA, which has been trying to stop Russian influence in Africa for several years, accuses the Wagner group of “competing human rights violations and extorting natural resources in Africa”.
The group has established itself as a key player in the conflict in Ukraine, particularly in the battle for the town of Bachmout, and their mercenaries have also been sighted in Syria or Libya and more recently in the Central African Republic and thus Mali.