French Forces Leave Mali After Nearly 10 Years, With EU Allies
- French, European, Canadian forces plan coordinated withdrawal
- Pullout follows deterioration in relations with Malian junta
A French soldier patrols the streets of Gao, Mali.
Photographer: Thomas Coex/AFP/Getty Images
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France and its allies agreed to withdraw their forces from Mali after relations with the West African nation’s government deteriorated following a military coup.
French, European and Canadian troops are planning a “coordinated withdrawal” from the country given “multiple obstructions by Mali’s transitional authorities,” the office of French President Emmanuel Macron said in a statement on Thursday.