French army withdraws troops from Manaka base in Mali
3 Min Read
Mali has forced France to withdraw in May and is rejecting all 'offers' of air support.
-
French army withdraws troops from Manaka base in Mali
French troops on Monday were in the process of handing back a military base in northeastern Mali before their final withdrawal from there, according to the French army.
French army spokesman, General Pascal Ianni, alleged that the departure from the base "was conducted in good order, safely and in transparent fashion."
Furthermore, the UN Secretary-General, El-Ghassim Wane, said that the withdrawal can be trouble for Menaka, the region where the pullout was occurring, saying that the people there "did not rule out an attack" on the town.
"With minimal Malian forces in the area and some 600 peacekeepers available to protect civilians, UN personnel and assets, MINUSMA's ability to mount an effective response is limited," he said.
However, Bamako told AFP that "Mali strongly opposes any air support that Barkhane might make to the (UN) mission on Malian territory" answering an offer to keep French air support in the country.
Bamako has accused the French military of espionage and sabotage, in addition to finding mass graves near a French base in Gossi, which the French have been trying to hide.
In May, the Mali junta decided to withdraw all defense treaties with France, citing "flagrant abuses" of national sovereignty.
The announcement was the latest proof of deteriorating relations between Mali's junta and France.
“For some time now, the government of the Republic of Mali notes with regret a profound deterioration in military cooperation with France,” Spokesperson Colonel Abdoulaye Maiga said in a televised statement.
Paris no longer possesses the legal basis for carrying out military operations in Mali after the West African nation withdrew from defense agreements with France, the Malian government said.
The French are trying to hide mass graves in Mali
The French military is scurrying to hide mass graves in Mali that they have been responsible for, according to a member of Mali's National Transitional Council, Aboubacar Sidiki Fomba, who spoke to Sputnik.
Last month, Malian troops found bodies buried next to the former French military base in Gossi.
"The French military lies, fabricates facts, wanting to hide mine wells. If there are mass graves, then they are responsible for them," Sidiki Fomba said.
Read more: French media tries to cover up military crimes in Mali: HR activist
In parallel with this issue, Mali has also issued an investigation to search for possible nuclear waste.
"We have launched an investigation into the search for possible nuclear waste. I was not there, but I receive information in real time," the official said.
