During a recent visit to Nairobi, French President Emmanuel Macron addressed the worsening security situation in Mali, labelling the junta’s decision to remove French military forces as a serious error.
“Recent events clearly demonstrate that this was not the wisest move,” Macron stated, referring to the 2022 withdrawal of French troops from Mali after years of counterterrorism operations against Islamist militant groups.
Unprecedented offensive threatens Mali’s stability
Since late April, Mali has been grappling with a coordinated insurgency involving jihadist factions and predominantly Tuareg rebel groups. These attacks have severely weakened the military-led government, which seized power in 2020 and 2021, leaving multiple regions under increasing threat despite ongoing military campaigns.
France-Sahel relations strained by troop withdrawals
The removal of French forces from Mali marked a turning point in Paris’s relations with the Sahel region. This rift has since spread to Burkina Faso and Niger, where similar coups led to the departure of French troops. Over the years, France’s military presence in the Sahel has become a contentious issue, sparking political and public tensions across the region.