France has withdrawn its last troops from Mali after more than nine years. Operation Barkhane was to counter the advance of jihadists in the unstable country in the Sahel. At least 50 French soldiers have been killed in the country since 2013, including attacks by terrorist groups linked to al-Qaeda.
The last French military unit crossed the border with Niger at the beginning of the afternoon, the Ministry of Defense in Paris reported. Control of the base in Gao where the French were stationed has been transferred to the Malian armed forces.
The departure that the government of Mali had been urging for some time was announced in February. According to French President Emmanuel Macron, the operation in Mali is making way for an international mission in the Sahel region, of which the French army should form the backbone from Niger.
Coups in Mali, Chad and Burkina Faso have weakened Paris’ ties to these former French colonies. Russia is responding to this by increasing its influence, including through the deployment of the Wagner Group’s mercenary army.
Mission Minusma
The UN mission Minusma is still active in Mali. The UN Security Council recently extended the military mission for a year. The mission in the West African country is the largest and most dangerous mission of the United Nations and consists of almost 14,000 blue helmets, civilians who provide humanitarian aid and help build democracy in the country, and police officers who train their Malian colleagues.
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