The Malian junta took note this Friday of the French military withdrawal, while affirming that France is co-responsible for the situation in the country ravaged by jihadism and violence, and that the situation will improve after its departure.
This is the first official reaction published in Bamako four days after the announcement of the departure of the last soldier of the French anti-jihadist force Barkhane on Monday.
“The deterioration of the situation, immediate consequence of the intervention of France”
The military-dominated government that came to power in a coup in 2020 “takes note of this definitive withdrawal,” its spokesman, Colonel Abdoulaye Maïga, said in a press release.
He “assures the Malian population (as a matter of fact) that, thanks to the rise of the brave Malian armed forces, more successes will be achieved against terrorist groups (and that) the security of the populations will improve considerably.”
“The deterioration of the security situation in Mali and in the Sahel is an immediate consequence of the intervention of France and its allies in Libya,” he said, referring to the regional effect of the multinational intervention carried out in 2011.
The Malian authorities now turned to Russia
The departure of the last French soldier after nine years of confrontation against the jihadists completes the noisy deterioration of relations between Mali and France under the junta.
Since then, the Malian authorities have turned to Russia for military support. Defense Minister Colonel Sadio Camara visited Russia this week, where he was still on Friday.
Friday’s statement does not mention this alliance but says the government is willing to cooperate “with all the states of the world” against terrorism, as long as national sovereignty and interests are respected.
Source: BFM TV
