( 3 minutes read)
- Mali’s prime minister accused France of having sought the partition of the west African country during its military mission there
- This, he cited is reason for the latest flare-up in relations between Paris and Bamako.
Mali’s prime minister accused France of having sought the partition of the west African country during its military mission there. This, he cited is reason for the latest flare-up in relations between Paris and Bamako.
In a 45-minute speech to diplomats gathered at his request, Choguel Kokalla Maiga denounced France, the former colonial power. He is a vocal critic of the military regime that appointed him. France is leading the anti-jihadist force in Mali. France’s military intervention in 2013, he conceded had halted a jihadist insurgency that had already captured the north of the country and threatened the south. But, later the French operation turned into a de facto partition of the country.
France is already is considering withdrawal of its forces in consultation with its EU partners as a retaliation to Mali expelling its ambassador last week. French President Emmanuel Macron lashed out at the junta’s failure to stick to a timetable for a return to civilian rule.
