Mali expels Swedish ambassador amid strained relations with the West

Mali has ordered Sweden’s ambassador to leave the country within 72 hours because of what it called a “hostile” statement by a Swedish minister, the government said on Friday.

Ambassador Kristina Kuhnel’s expulsion comes after Mali on Monday announced it was severing  diplomatic ties with Ukraine.

It accused a senior Ukrainian official of suggesting that Kyiv had provided help to Tuareg rebels who claimed to have killed dozens of…