After unsuccessful talks in Niger, Wagner boss Prigozchin mocks the efforts of the USA. The ex-Putin friend is also proud of his group of mercenaries.
Niamey/Minsk – When it comes to the current conflict in West African Niger, the names of those who have fallen out of favor often come up Mercenary group “Wagner”. The militia of the oligarch in hiding in Belarus Yevgeny Prigozhin is repeatedly associated with the military coup in Niger. Supposedly the putschists are already supposed to who have requested help from the Russian private army. On Telegram Chief Prigozhin has now commented on the diplomatic efforts of the USA made fun of in the Nigerian capital Niamey.
US remains unsuccessful after ‘difficult talks’ in Niger
Barely two weeks after the coup in Niger, efforts by the US and the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) to reinstate ousted President Mohamed Bazoum have stalled. After senior US diplomat Victoria Nuland was unable to make any progress on an unannounced visit to Niamey, the putschists also declined to meet an Ecowas delegation, according to information on Tuesday (8 August).
The US diplomat described the negotiations with the military representatives in Niamey as “difficult talks”. She presented them with “options” for how the coup could be reversed and offered the “good offices” of the US if those responsible wanted to return to the constitutional order. However, their offers were not considered in any way, it is said.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken then warned Niger against a partnership with the Russian mercenary group Wagner. “Everywhere the Wagner group went there was death, destruction and exploitation,” Blinken said loudly reports of BBC. He added that it was known from other countries that the mercenaries “brought only bad things.” The US Secretary of State was playing on many other Central African countries in which the Wagner Group is active.
Prigozhin compares Wagner group to ISIS and al-Qaeda
On his social channels, Wagner boss Prigozchin was amused by the American efforts. “That makes me happy, Ms. Nuland,” Prigozhin commented on the failed negotiations in Niamey. That reported that newsmagazine Newsweek. “I’m proud of the Wagner boys,” he added. “Just thinking about them makes ISIS and al-Qaeda small, obedient, silky boys,” wrote the Wagner boss, fueling the US Secretary of State’s fears of the mercenary group being used in Niger.
Prigozhin accused the US government of only cooperating with the military junta to prevent Wagner troops from being deployed in Niger: “The USA recognized a government that they rejected yesterday, only to have a clash with the Wagner PMC in the country [Niger] to be avoided.” According to the US State Department, it is not clear whether the putschists and the Wagner fighters have reached an agreement on cooperation.
Wagner mission in Niger is in Putin’s interest
Prigozhin does not seem to be networked in Niger yet. Sean McFate, an officer in the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division with experience in Africa, believes the Wagner boss is already positioning his mercenary army to operate in Niger. To staff According to Prigozchin, there is certainly no shortage of it. “It’s trash talk, but it’s trash talk with a purpose. He wants to publicly show the world and the Nigerien coup plotters whose side he’s on,” McFate said at The Daily Beast.
One shouldn’t forget that there is already a certain anti-Western mood in the Sahel. McFate suspects that Prigozhin is trying to further intensify the existing tensions between the West and some Central African countries. It can be assumed that Prigozhin will indeed reach an agreement: “The indications are that Prigozhin and the junta leaders in Niger are likely to work out an arrangement that looks similar to that of his neighbors in Mali and the Central African Republic.” There the mercenary troop may use local resources and raw material deposits in return for protecting the rulers.
In addition, Prigozhin’s missions in Africa also have points of sympathy with the President Wladimir Putin collects. According to McFate, both are in a kind of mutually dependent relationship: “Putin and Prigozhin also need each other. Putin wants to expand his global reach to Africa. In this way, sanctions can be circumvented, the war is financed directly, and Prigozhin needs the financial infrastructure of Russia.” Only in July was the ousted Prigozhin am seen on the fringes of the Russia-Africa Summit in Saint Petersburg in July. (aa with afp)
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