Malian power had not yet reacted to the announcement by Paris of a staggered withdrawal of his forces deployed in Mali. The spokesman of the Government of Malien described this decision of “flagrant violation” of the agreements between the two countries.
Le Monde with AFP
An official reaction was expected for more than twenty-four hours. The junta in power in Bamako asked France, Friday, February 18, to “without delay” his soldiers from Mali, the day after the announcement by Paris and his partners of a withdrawal staggered on the coming months.
In a statement read on national television, the government spokesman settled by the military, Colonel Abdoulaye Maïga, described the announcement of the French disengagement of “flagrant violation” agreements between the two countries. He also felt that the results of nine years of French engagement in Mali had “not been satisfactory”.
The French president, Emmanuel Macron, said, Thursday, that the closure of the French foundations still present in Mali would take “four to six months”. This request for immediate withdrawal “under the supervision of the Malian authorities” on the part of the colonels arrived by force in August 2020 is a new challenge to the former French partner, after months of rise of tensions.