“We cannot militarily engage with real officials, whose tactics and hidden objectives we do not share,” Macron told reporters.
Withdrawals will take four to six months. According to Macron, France and the allies will close military bases in Gosi, Maneka and Gao and move troops stationed there to Niger.
In a joint statement issued earlier on Thursday, the European and Canadian governments involved in Operation Barkhane and the Takuba Task Force recognized that “the political, operational and legal conditions for effectively continuing their current military involvement in the fight against terrorism are now being met.” Mali,” as a result of blockades by the Malian transitional authorities.
In particular, these countries pointed to the failure of the Mali transitional authorities to meet their commitment to the international community and hold elections by February 27.
Nevertheless, he expressed his desire to continue counter-terrorism operations in the Sahel region and to continue talks with the Malian transition authorities.
France first launched an anti-terrorist operation in Mali in 2013 under former President François Hollande.
But relations between Mali and French-led forces have deteriorated since a 2020 coup and the establishment of a military junta in Mali, especially after the deployment of Russian mercenary group Wagner to Mali in late 2021.
French President Macron said he “absolutely rejects” the idea that France has failed after nearly nine years of intervention in Mali.
“(If France did not intervene in 2013) you would certainly see the collapse of the Malian state,” Macron said.
“At best we will have a territorial division with a caliphate, at least these terrorist groups will take full control of Mali.”
53 French soldiers have been killed in the Sahel region since the first French operation began in 2013.
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