Aug. 15 (EUROPA PRESS) –
France announced on Monday the departure of the last soldier from its mission in Mali against jihadism, six months after it reported that it would end the operation known as ‘Barkhane’ due to differences with the military junta that has run the country since May 2021.
“Since this morning, August 15, 2022, this deployment has become effective with the departure from Mali of the last French soldier of the ‘Barkhane’ operation, Eliseo announced in a statement, in which it wanted to emphasize the commitment of France with security and stability in the region.
On the same note, France wanted to make it clear once again that the decision to withdraw its military mission in Mali was motivated by “the political and operational conditions” of the moment, so after consulting with its African and European partners it decided ” reorganize” your device outside of that country.
The French president, Emmanuel Macron, has highlighted that the exit from Mali has been carried out according to the announced schedule, while they have not ceased, he said, “in their fight against terrorist groups” and in contributing to the security of the region.
The Elysee also wanted to remember and pay tribute to the “commitment” of all the soldiers who for nine years have fought terrorist groups in Mali.
“There are 59 who have paid with their lives, fighting alongside the African and European armies for our security and that of the populations of the Sahel,” he emphasized.
“Their sacrifice compels us and reminds us that our soldiers during these years preserved the unity of Mali, prevented the establishment of a territorial caliphate and fought against terrorist groups that attack local populations and threaten Europe,” the text continues.
On the other hand, Eliseo has indicated that his departure does not jeopardize the efforts of Paris to achieve the release of the French citizen Olivier Dubois, a journalist kidnapped in April 2021 by the Al Qaeda affiliate in Mali when he was preparing to interview to one of their leaders.
In the months prior to the announcement in February 2022 of his departure from Mali, tensions were on the rise after the military junta announced that it would extend the transition process to between four and five years and postpone the elections that were scheduled for March, all this in the midst of accusations between each other in relation to the efforts they made in anti-terrorist matters.
Likewise, the French authorities, like those of other Western countries, were also very critical of the junta for the alleged deployment of mercenaries from the Russian Wagner Group, something that has been denied by Bamako and Moscow, which speak of military cooperation regular, in the style of the training mission it has in the country, for example, the European Union.
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