Tag Archives: Bamako

France said on Monday that all of its troops battling the militants in Mali since 2013 have now left the country after a decision in February to withdraw over the deterioration of relations between Paris and Bamako. “Today at 13:00 (Paris time), the last military unit of the Barkhane force …

Mali’s transitional government has given the special representative from West Africa’s main regional bloc 72 hours to leave the country over “actions incompatible with his status”, the foreign ministry said on Monday. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has been pressing Mali to respect its commitment to hold …

A cargo plane delivered four helicopters, weapons, and ammunition from Russia to Mali late on Thursday, Malian interim defense minister Sadio Camara said. He said Mali had bought the helicopters in a contract agreed in December 2020 to support its armed forces in their battle alongside French, European and UN …

France’s foreign minister has warned his Russian counterpart against involving paramilitaries from the controversial Wagner group in Mali’s conflict. “On Mali, the minister alerted his Russian counterpart to the serious consequences of the Wagner group’s involvement in this country,” the French foreign ministry said Friday. Jean-Yves Le Drian met Sergey …

Germany warned Mali on Wednesday that a deal with Russian private security group Wagner would “call into question” its deployment in the West African country as part of United Nations and European Union missions. “If Mali’s government makes such a deal with Russia, then it goes against everything that Germany, …

Mali’s former prime minister Boubeye Maiga was arrested on Thursday for his role in the purchase of a presidential plane during the rule of ousted President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, his lawyer said. The exact reason for the arrest was not clear, but it was related to Mali’s purchase of a …

Thirty-seven people were killed in a road accident in south-central Mali on Tuesday, the transport ministry said, after a passenger bus collided with a truck. The force of the crash, which happened 20 km (12 miles) from the town of Segou, sheared off the front section of the bus and …

Mali’s interim President Assimi Goita was the target of an attempted stabbing attack during Eid al-Adha prayers at Bamako’s Grand Mosque, the West African nation’s presidency said in a statement on Twitter on Tuesday. “The attacker was immediately overpowered by security. Investigations are ongoing,” the presidency said. Two military sources …

Assailants also destroyed equipment belonging to Chinese and Mauritanian construction companies. Gunmen have abducted three Chinese nationals and two Mauritanians from a construction site in southwestern Mali, according to the country’s armed forces. The assailants stormed the site 55km (34 miles) from the town of Kwala on Saturday, and made …

French president says Paris will withdraw soldiers if Mali lurches towards what he called “radical Islamism” after the second coup in a year. President Emmanuel Macron warned in comments published on Sunday that France will pull its troops out of Mali if it lurches towards what he called “radical Islamism” …

Coup leader’s appointment raises the stakes as West African leaders prepare to respond to the coup in Mali. Mali’s constitutional court has named the colonel who led a military coup this week as the country’s new interim leader. The ruling, issued late on Friday, said Assimi Goita would “lead the …

Mali’s interim president and prime minister resigned on Wednesday, two days after they were arrested by the military, an aide to the vice president said, deepening a political crisis and potentially setting up a standoff with international powers. President Bah Ndaw and Prime Minister Moctar Ouane were taken to a …

At least 11 demonstrators were killed in the capital last weekend. Protesters have called for mass civil disobedience until President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta steps down. When security forces in Mali shot and killed protesters last weekend, they were met with an unexpected response. Instead of being cowed into submission, the …

At least 27 civilians were killed when unidentified armed men on motorbikes attacked ethnic Dogon farming villages in central Mali on Wednesday, local authorities said. The attackers targeted the villages of Gouari, Djindo, and Fangadougou in the Mopti region, which has seen dozens of tit-for-tat ethnic massacres as well as …

The United Nations’ Secretary-General has called for calm and dialogue in Mali after tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets in the capital Bamako on Friday demanding President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita step down. Keita was re-elected in 2018 for a second five-year term but has struggled with a …

Polling stations open for the second round of legislative elections in Mali, which are being held despite coronavirus and terrorist violence. Polling staff ensures that all sanitary measures are taken to prevent the spread of the virus, although crowds were observed inside the polling stations.