In a letter addressed Monday August 15 to the President of the UN Security Council, the Malian diplomacy chief multiplied the accusations against Paris, without providing proofs.
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Supply of “weapons” and collection of “information for the benefit of terrorist groups”, “espionage” and “intimidation” of the Malian armed forces (FAMA) … in a letter addressed Monday, August 15 to the (turning) of the Council UN security, Chinese ambassador Zhang Jun, Abdoulaye Diop, the Malian diplomacy chief, has multiplied the accusations against France. The same day, in northern Mali, the last soldier of the operation “Barkhane” left the Gao base after more than nine years of interventions carried out in the name of the fight against terrorism.
This three -page letter, consulted by Le Monde, details supposed “aggression acts” committed by the French forces. The junta, in power since the double coup d’etat of August 2020 and May 2021, claims to have “recorded more than fifty deliberate cases of violation of Malian airspace by foreign aircraft, notably operated by the French forces” , since the beginning of the year.
The latter are notably criticized for “acts of indiscipline characterized by refusals to comply with the instructions of air -control services”, falsification of flight documents or even hindrance to the circulation of military military Malian and this, “throughout the transfer process to the Malian authorities of northern airspace, since the announcement of the withdrawal of Barkhane [in February 2022].”
The accusations go much further than these supposed acts of aerial indiscipline. The Government of Mali affirms that it “has several evidence that these blatant violations (…) have served France to collect information for the benefit of terrorist groups operating in the Sahel and to drop weapons and ammunition “. Without, however, having delivered only one proof to the Security Council. As a conclusion, Abdoulaye Diop warns that in the event of “persistence of this posture which undermines the stability and security of the country [Mali reserves] the right to make use of self -defense”.
“According to accusations obviously without foundation”, replies Paris
The Elysée is sweeping away these attacks: “The junta crosses a level in the incredible and incredible by carrying accusations obviously without foundation.” The only security activities carried out during the withdrawal of “Barkhane” consisted “in securing the last French military convoys of the operation leaving Mali, monitoring the activities of terrorists and targeting senior executives of the two main groups [support group for Islam and Muslims (GSIM, Affiliated with al-Qaida) and the Islamic State organization at the Grand Sahara (EIGS)] “, specifies the presidency.
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