Mali News

France girds for long fight against Islamists in Africa's Sahel

By AFP

Paris - Days before French President Emmanuel Macron visited West and Central African leaders this week to talk security, Islamist fighters sent a defiant message -- a suicide attack on the headquarters of a five-nation force that is supposed to take the lead ...

Factfile on G5 Sahel force

By AFP

Bamako - Following is a factfile on the G5 Sahel anti-terror force:- What is it?

AU summit overshadowed by 'security failings' in Sahel after attacks

By AFP

Nouakchott - French President Emmanuel Macron joined African leaders gathered in the Mauritanian capital on the final evening of a summit overshadowed by security issues after jihadist rebels hammered two fragile Sahel states in successive attacks.

4 civilians killed, soldiers wounded in Mali attack on French troops

By AFP

Bamako - French soldiers on patrol in troubled northern Mali were targeted in a "terror" attack on Sunday in which four civilians were killed and dozens wounded, including four soldiers, Malian and French officials said.

Six dead as Mali HQ of Sahel anti-terror force is attacked

By AFP

Bamako - The Malian headquarters of an international anti-terror task force, the G5 Sahel, were attacked on Friday in a car bomb blast, killing six people and leaving many injured, according to a provisional toll.

Mali: UN extends mission, warns progress must be made on peace

By AFP

New York - The 15 members of the UN Security Council on Thursday unanimously renewed its peacekeeping mission in Mali for a year, but warned the West African country must make rapid progress toward peace.

DR Congo, Mali, Yemen groups join UN black list

By AFP

New York - Several Congolese, Malian and Yemeni groups have been added to the United Nations' annual black list of groups violating children's rights in wartime, the world body said this week.

32 Fula civilians killed in Mali attack: local group

By AFP

Bamako - At least 32 civilians were killed and ten are missing following an attack in central Mali, believed to have been carried out by traditional hunters, local officials said Sunday.

32 Fula civilians killed in Mali attack: local group

By AFP

Bamako - At least 32 civilians were killed and ten are missing following an attack in central Mali, believed to have been carried out by ethnic hunters, local officials said Sunday.

Mali admits soldiers implicated in deaths during security sweep

By AFP

Bamako - Mali's defence minister admitted on Tuesday that soldiers were involved in killings in the country's unstable centre, after the discovery of a mass grave backed up accusations of summary executions by government troops.

Dutch to shift troop deployment from Mali to Afghanistan

By AFP

Den Haag - The Netherlands is to stop sending troops to the UN peacekeeping mission in Mali and will shift focus to beef up operations in Afghanistan, the defence ministry announced Friday.

Food crisis worsens in Sahel region: UN aid chief

By AFP

New York - The United Nations aid chief raised alarm Tuesday over a worsening food crisis in the Sahel region that has sent malnutrition rates skyrocketing to their worst level since 2012.

Guterres seeks new political focus for UN Mali mission

By AFP

New York - UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for the world body's mission in Mali to concentrate more on political goals, seeing serious shortcomings three years after a peace agreement.

Spiderman's French fairy tale sparks migrant pride and envy

By AFP

Montreuil - At the French migrant workers' hostel where "Spiderman" Mamoudou Gassama was sleeping on a floor before becoming a folk hero for saving a child, his exploits have triggered a wave of pride tinged with envy.

France's 'Spiderman' joins fire brigade as citizenship awaits

By AFP

Paris - Mamoudou Gassama, the 22-year-old Malian "Spiderman" feted for saving a child hanging from a balcony, took his first step toward French citizenship Tuesday and joined the fire brigade as accolades continued to pour in over his daring rescue.

French family of rescued boy thanks hero Malian 'Spiderman'

By AFP

Paris - The family of the young boy saved by "Spiderman" Mamoudou Gassama in a daring rescue that won him global acclaim and a promise of French citizenship has thanked the Malian youth for his quick thinking.

Migrant 'Spiderman' who saved child praised by France's Macron

By AFP

Paris - A Malian migrant who scaled a Paris apartment block to save a four-year-old child was hailed Monday as an "example" by President Emmanuel Macron, who welcomed him to the presidential palace and offered him citizenship.

Pentagon probe finds training, command issues in Niger ambush

By AFP

Washington - A comprehensive probe into last year's deadly attack on US and local forces in Niger uncovered a series of avoidable blunders leading up to the assault, the Pentagon said Thursday.

Suspected jihadists kill over 30 Tuaregs in Mali

By AFP

Bamako - Suspected jihadists killed more than 30 Tuaregs, including women and children, on Mali's northeastern border with Niger, several sources said Saturday as the second such attack in two days stoked fears of widespread unrest.

Suspected jihadists kill over 30 Tuaregs in Mali: sources

By AFP

Bamako - Suspected jihadists killed more than 30 Tuaregs on Mali's northeastern border with Niger, informed sources said Saturday, in the second such attack in two days.

Mali presidental election set for 29 July

By AFP

Bamako - Mali's government has confirmed a presidential election will be held on 29 July, an official statement said Friday, after local polls were again pushed back to the end of the year.

Al-Qaeda-linked jihadist group claims attack on UN camp at Timbuktu

By AFP

Nouakchott - The main jihadist alliance in Africa's Sahel region with links to Al-Qaeda on Friday claimed an attack last weekend on the UN camp of international troops in northern Mali's historic city of Timbuktu.

Canada rejects UN request to hasten Mali deployment

By AFP

Ottawa - Canada is still "several months" away from deploying peacekeepers to Mali in support of a UN mission, an official said Thursday, rejecting a UN envoy's call to accelerate its plans.

Timbuktu Malian jihadist faces war crimes court

By AFP

Den Haag - A Malian jihadist appeared for the first time before an international war crimes judge on Wednesday, accused of demolishing Timbuktu's fabled shrines, as well as rape, torture and sex slavery.

Timbuktu Malian jihadist to face war crimes court

By AFP

Den Haag - A Malian jihadist was to appear for the first time Wednesday before international war crimes judges, accused of demolishing Timbuktu's fabled shrines, as well as rape, torture and sex slavery.

Malian jihadist in court for war crimes on Wednesday

By AFP

Den Haag - A Malian jihadist will make a first appearance Wednesday before the International Criminal Court on war crimes charges over the destruction of holy sites and sex slavery, the tribunal said.

Malian jihadist handed over to ICC on war crimes charges

By AFP

Den Haag - A Malian jihadist was arrested Saturday and handed over to the International Criminal Court (ICC) to face war crimes charges for the destruction of Timbuktu and sex slavery, the tribunal said.

Canada aims for August Mali deployment of Blue Helmets: minister

By AFP

Montr - Canada aims to deploy peacekeepers backed by helicopters to join UN Blue Helmets in Mali in August, the country's defense minister said on Sunday.

Police free Mali consul's wife after held by man in Barcelona

By AFP

Barcelona - Police on Monday freed the wife of Mali's honorary consul in Barcelona after a man from the African country seeking to be allowed out of Spain held her for five hours, police said.

Canada to deploy troops, helicopters to help UN in Mali

By AFP

Ottawa - Canada will deploy an infantry unit and military trainers along with attack and transport helicopters to Mali for 12 months in support of an ongoing UN peacekeeping mission, the government announced Monday.