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The French military says it will “be present in a different way” while the former colonial power reduces its military presence in Mali.
French forces have left the city of Timbuktu, the latest sign of former colonial power following a military intervention that has pushed back fighters who have overtaken parts of the country for nearly nine years, reducing its presence in northern Mali.
On February 2, 2013, in Timbuktu, former French President Francois Hollande declared the beginning of France. military offensive Malin. On Tuesday, the French flag was lowered and the Mali flag was raised in its place at a military base, where after France began withdrawing troops, a force of about 150 soldiers remained.
General Etienne du Peyroux, the leader of the French Barkhane operation in Mali’s military campaign, shook hands with the new commander of the camp and offered him a large wooden key while a French military plane was flying low.
France “will be present in a different way,” Peyroux said. “This is, after all, the goal of Operation Barkhane: to let Malik take his fate into his own hands … but always in cooperation.”
The new commander of Mali did not comment.
In a statement, the French military said Mali’s military maintains a “strong garrison in Timbuktu” and that more than 2,200 United Nations peacekeepers are being deployed there.
Mali has been hit by a conflict that began as a separatist movement in the north of the country in 2012, but has turned into a number of armed groups seeking control in the central and northern regions.
Fighting has spread to neighboring countries, including Burkina Faso and Niger, as the region’s security situation has deteriorated, leading to a serious humanitarian crisis.
France announced earlier this year that this would be the case Withdrawing more than 2,000 soldiers In the Sahel region in early 2022, its military efforts are focused on neutralizing rebel operations and strengthening and training local armies.
The decision came amid escalating political instability in Mali, where Colonel Assimi Goita staged two coups in less than a year before being sworn in as the country’s interim president.
In recent months, a possible spread of mercenaries What was hired by the controversial Wagner Group in Mali has been further strained voltage links Between the French government and the coup. Growing tensions have also reached a time when feelings against France have become very popular among Parisians who accuse Paris of not being able to resist the escalation of violence and seizing a hidden agenda.
The French army has already closed its bases further north in Kidal and Tessalit, but is maintaining its presence in Gao near a volatile border region where operations have been concentrated in recent years.
The international community has set a deadline for the new democratic elections in Mali by the end of February, although there are growing signs that this will not happen.
On Sunday, a regional bloc known as the West African Economic Community (ECOWAS) warned that Mali could face further sanctions if “no more specific progress” is made in the run-up to the January 1 election.
ECOWAS has already suspended Mali and suppressed travel bans and asset freezes on members of the transitional government.
Army leaders have cited growing insecurity across Mali as a reason to miss the February deadline.
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