Russia, however, says it has no links with the Wagner group, which notoriously operates from within the shadows as a private military company.

This deployment, they said, has the potential to "further deteriorate the security situation in West Africa", which is currently in the throes of battle with Jihadist groups.

In what is turning into a running conflict between Western nations and Russia, the former accuses the Russian government of underwriting the deployment of mercenaries from the Wagner group.

Russia, however, says it has no links with the Wagner group, which notoriously operates from within the shadows as a private military company.

Recently, as if to underline the Group’s notoriety, the European Union imposed sanctions on the Wagner group, accusing it of involvement in gross human rights abuses.

The Wagner group first came to global prominence in 2014 when it was backing pro-Russian separatists in the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

Ever since that time, it has spread its tentacles to be involved in countries including Syria, Mozambique, Sudan, Libya and the Central African Republic.

The Western allies, not happy with the secretive Wagner group, say they "deeply regret" the Malian authorities use of "already scarce public funds" to pay mercenaries such as the Wagner group instead of using the same funds to support the country's armed forces.

This declaratory statement was jointly issued by Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Romania and Sweden and the UK.

France - Mali's former colonial ruler - has recently pulled out of its last base in northern Mali as part of its plans to reorganise its anti-insurgent forces deployed in the Sahel region under Operation Barkhane.

French army bases in Kidal, Tessalit and Timbuktu will be closed by the end of the year and handed over to the Malian army.