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France suspends military operations with Malian forces

June 3, 2021

On Sunday, French President Emmanuel Macron had threatened to pull troops out of Mali if the political instability there continued. The West African nation has seen two coups d'etat inside nine months.

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French troops in mali
France says it is suspending its military activities in the West African nation.Image: Frederic Petry/Hans Lucas/picture alliance

France has suspended its joint military operations with forces in Mali after the second coup d'etat in its former colony inside nine months.

The French Defense Ministry said the decision, taken after consultation with Mali’s authorities and military, would be reassessed in the coming days. 

French troops in Mali
French troops have been helping to battle an Islamist insurgency in Mali since 2013Image: Frederic Petry/Hans Lucas/picture alliance

"Requirements and red lines have been set by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union to clarify the framework for the political transition in Mali," the statement said. "While awaiting these guarantees, France has decided to suspend, as a temporary measure, joint military operations with Malian forces."

It is currently unclear whether the move means French troops would remain in the West African nation until a fresh decision was taken.

Macron's warning to Mali

On Sunday, French President Emmanuel Macron warned Mali that France would withdraw troops from the country if political instability there persisted and led to an increase in Islamist violence.

Emmanuel Macron and Bah N'Daw
France has warned Mali's army that they must return power to civilian leader Bah N'Daw, seen here on the right.Image: Amaury Blin/Hans Lucas/picture alliance

Macron told the Journal du Dimanche that the West African nation was "moving towards" greater Islamist influence.

France currently has 5,100 troops in the Sahel region as part of an anti-terror operation against militants.

The French military has been supporting forces in Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Burkina Faso and Chad there since 2013.

Mali's increased isolation

The International Organization of La Francophonie, a cooperative body that represents mainly French-speaking states around the world, joined the calls for Mail to return to civilian goverment by suspending the country from the club until democracy is restored.

Members meeting in Paris "strongly condemned" the coup led by military strongman Assimi Goita on May 24, the organization said in a statement.

Posters of Mali coup leader Assimi Goita
France, the former colonial power, has told Assimi Golta to return power to the civilian government. Image: Nicolas Remene/Le Pictorium/ ZUMA Press/picture alliance

They also demanded that Mali appoint a civilian prime minister and "inclusive" government.

While La Francophonie is not itself a powerful body, the move is a sign of Mali's growing isolation.

Mali has also been suspended from the African Union and ECOWAS.

World Bank freezes payments over coup

The World Bank said on Friday it had temporarily paused payments to operations in Mali over the coup, adding pressure to the country's military leadership.

"In accordance with the World Bank policy applicable to similar situations, it has temporarily paused disbursements on its operations in Mali, as it closely monitors and assesses the situation," the Bank said in a statement.

Goita last year led a first coup against elected president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, following mass protests over perceived corruption and a bloody jihadist insurgency.

After the takeover, the military agreed to appoint civilians as interim president and prime minister.

A largely desert country, Mali ranks 184 out of 189 countries and territories in the United Nations' Human Development Index.

jf/rt (AFP, Reuters)