France departs from Mali's Timbuktu city, after nine years as part of Operation Barkhane that aimed to fight insurgencies in the Sahel region
French forces have left the city of Timbuktu, the latest sign that the former colonial power is drawing down its presence in northern Mali nearly nine years after driving fighters from power there in a military intervention.
In a communique, the French military emphasised late on Tuesday that the Malian military maintains "a strong garrison in Timbuktu," in addition to nearly 2,200 UN peacekeepers who are permanently deployed there. General Etienne du Peyroux, head of France's Operation Barkhane, shook hands with the new camp commander and offered him a large wooden key as a French military plane made a low flyover."This is ultimately the aim of Operation Barkhane: to allow Mali to take its destiny into its own hands... but always in partnership.
French President Emmanuel Macron announced a major drawdown of French troops in June after a military takeover in Mali in August 2020 that ousted the elected president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita."For us, this is a page that is turning," French captain Florian, former base commander, told reporters. Anger at French presence in region
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