France’s Barkhane forces completely withdrew from Mali this week, but Bamako continues to pursue Paris – this time at the United Nations.
A letter from Mali’s Foreign Ministry to the United Nations Security Council alleges that France supported jihadists within the country and committed airspace violations.
According to information first published by the magazine Jeune Afrique, Malian Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop’s 15 August letter, also seen by RFI, condemns violations of Mali’s airspace.
Diop indicates that he has “several elements” proving that illegal incursions into Malian airspace have been “used by France to collect information for the benefit of terrorist groups” and to “drop them weapons and ammunition”, writes RFI journalist David Baché.
The letter speaks of some 50 “repetitive and frequent violations of Malian airspace by French forces” since the start of 2022. Drones, helicopters or fighter planes had flown over Mali “without authorisation” from Bamako, it said.
Credit: rfi
