France and its allies in its anti-jihadist operations in Mali have announced announced they will begin withdrawing troops after nearly a decade fighting a jihadist insurgency in the country.
"The political, operational and legal conditions are no longer met to effectively continue their current military engagement in the fight against terrorism in Mali," said a joint statement signed by France and European and African allies, announcing a "coordinated withdrawal" of French, European and Canadian forces.
The decision applies to both the Barkhane counter-terrorism force in the Sahel and the 14-member European Takuba force that France had been trying to get off the ground.
France deployed troops against jihadists in Mali in 2013, but the insurgency was never fully put down. Some 2,400 French soldiers are currently in the country as part of the Barkhane and Takuba operations.
Relations between France and Mali have deteriorated after the military junta went back on an agreement to organize elections in February, and instead proposed holding on to power until 2025.
France and other countries have also accused Mali of using the services of the Wagner Russian mercenary group, which they say is incompatible with their mission.
Continued presence in the region
The statement says the countries will have agreed to set out plans on how to remain in the region by June.
The countries will continue "joint action against terrorism in the Sahel region, including in Niger and in the Gulf of Guinea".
French President Emmanuel Macron said that Niger had agreed to host European forces fighting Islamist militants in the Sahel
He also said the remaining forces would provide further assistance for countries in the Gulf of Guinea.
"These states are increasingly exposed to efforts by terrorist groups to implant themselves in their territory," Macron told a press conference in Paris Thursday, shortly before traveling to Brussels for a two-day EU-Africa summit.
There are a total of 25,000 foreign troops currently deployed in the Sahel region, including the UN peacekeeping mission MINUSMA established in 2013 and an EU military training mission, the EUTM Mali, along with the Barkhane operation and the Takuba forces.
France will likely continue to provide Minusma and Eutm with air support and medical back-up, but its withdrawal could set the stage for other European countries to abandon their roles in the multinational missions.
(with wires)
