The French news agency “AFP” quoted a diplomatic source as saying, “In response to this hostile and dangerous act, France has decided to suspend cooperation with Mali in combating terrorism, in which the detained diplomat was involved before his arrest.” The source noted that the Malian authorities were informed that additional measures would be taken if the French citizen is not released quickly.
France also announced the expulsion of Malian diplomats, who must leave the country before Saturday. In return, Mali had previously declared five staff members of the French embassy in Bamako as persona non grata, and they have already left the country.
It is noteworthy that in 2022, the transitional authorities in Mali officially announced their withdrawal from the “Barkhane” and “Takuba” operations with their allies. Despite the tensions, intelligence cooperation between the two sides in the field of combating terrorism continued.
