HARARE, September 26. /TASS/. The Tuareg rebel groups operating in northern Mali, have long been cooperating with Ukraine, receiving various support from Kiev, including intelligence, says Attaye Ag Mohamed, Deputy Secretary on external relations of the Strategic Framework for the Defense of the People of Azawad (CSO-DPA) Tuareg rebel coalition.

"We have long-standing and diverse relations with Ukraine," he told France 24, answering a question about the training of Tuareg militants by Ukrainian instructors, including in the use of drones. "We communicate with all sorts of Ukrainian agencies, and the exchange of intelligence is not the only thing that we discuss."

In turn, the rebels help fighting Ukraine’s enemies in Africa.

Earlier in August, independent experts confirmed that the Ukrainian special operations forces use drones in fights against the Malian Armed Forces in Mali. The Afrique Media TV channel said this in its report about the examination of downed drone fragments that bear the markings of Ukrainian and US military enterprises.

"There are many special reconnaissance groups from Ukraine, which take part in highly classified operations against the Malian forces that fight against the terrorists," the TV channel report said.