The Latest Breaking News from Mali

Mercenaries have become increasingly influential as states across Africa battle with an increase in armed groups.

Mali’s media regulator has ordered the definitive suspension of RFI radio and France 24 television in the country, a month after its ruling military junta accused the news organisations of reporting “false allegations” of abuse by the Malian army. The broadcasters’ parent company, France Médias Monde (FMM), has “strongly contested”…

In tonight's edition: We take a look back at the life of Ghana's independence figure Kwame Nkrumah, who died half a century ago today. But first, Mali accuses France of violating parts of its controlled airspace after drone footage shot by the French military showed soldiers covering corpses with sand.…

Mali’s media regulator on Wednesday ordered the definitive suspension of FRANCE 24 television and RFI radio in the country, a month after the country’s ruling military junta accused the news organisations of reporting “false allegations” of abuse by the Malian army. The broadcasters’ parent company France Médias Monde said it…

The France Medias Monde organisation said on Wednesday that it challenged Mali's decision to suspend definitively the broadcasts in Mali of France 24 and RFI.

Mali's military rulers have accused the French army of repeatedly violating a controlled airspace over the country's centre and north to "spy" on its forces, the latest escalation of tensions between Paris and Bamako.

The French military left a remote base in northern Mali before dawn last week for the last time, one hundred vehicles forming a miles-long convoy across the barren desert terrain.

Mali has reprimanded France for “spying” after the French military released a video of what it alleged were Russian mercenaries burying bodies at a mass grave.

Jihadists in Mali say they have captured a fighter working for Wagner, the Russian private security firm hired by the country’s military junta to train the military - though France and other countries say the fighters are acting as mercenaries.

When a dozen suspected Islamist militants from a neighbouring country were spotted riding motorcycles through the W National Park in northern Benin armed with AK-47 assault rifles, park rangers snapped into action.

Fifteen soldiers and six civilians were killed on Sunday in attacks in Mali and Burkina Faso, neighbouring West African countries struggling with deadly jihadist insurgencies, military and security sources said.