William Molinié, edited by Solène Delinger
The ruling junta in Bamako asked France on Friday to “withdraw without delay” its soldiers from Mali, the day after the announcement by Paris and its partners of a staggered withdrawal over the next few months. A warning behind which hides above all a propaganda operation.
Green beret on his head and military jacket, Colonel Abdoulaye Maïga reads his press release on national television. The putschists’ spokesman, who has become infrequent, wants to have the last word. He demanded the immediate departure of French troops: “The government invites the French authorities to withdraw without delay the forces fighting a state covering national territory, under the supervision of the Malian authorities”.
The junta wants to show that it is not France that is leaving
The Malian colonel will repeat this sentence three times, a barely masked warning behind which in fact hides a propaganda operation. The junta must show that it is not France that is leaving, but that it is the Malians themselves who are putting the former colonizer out. Ultimate provocation for Paris and immediate response from Emmanuel Macron fifteen minutes later, from the platform of the Europe-Africa summit in Brussels.
Emmanuel Macron intransigent
“This decision, it will simply apply in good order so that we continue to ensure the security of all our armed forces deployed today in Mali. Security with which I do not compromise for a single second”, declared the head of the state.
The schedule will be that set by the chief of the French armies, four to six months to break camp, without taking the slightest risk of suffering further losses.