Mali

Security in Mali has become critical, with unprecedented incidents of communal violence and increasingly more deadly terror attacks, reported a UN human rights expert on Monday, following a 10-day visit to the country.

President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday he has ordered his military to assess its operations against Islamist militants in West Africa and all options are open, after 13 soldiers died during a combat mission this week.

Thirteen French troops were killed in a midair collision between two helicopters in Mali on Monday night as they fought Islamic militants in the west African country.

[…] Since 2016, however, MINUSMA’s effectiveness in terms of stabilization and the protection of civilians (PoC) has decreased. … Currently, MINUSMA is at a crossroads. It needs time to succeed, but this is also valuable time that Mali does not have at the moment, during which civilians are dying in attacks, and major mission funders like the United States are losing interest in supporting a costly UN peace operation that is not able to deliver quick results.

France's minister of the armed forces takes aim at Saudi Arabia for failing to provide 100 million euros to G5 Sahel force fighting Islamist militants.

Islamic State’s West African affiliate claimed responsibility on Wednesday for an attack on an army patrol in northern Mali that killed 30 soldiers. … The attack was the third major strike against Malian forces in the last two months by jihadist groups.

Forces from the France-led Operation Barkhane and its partner forces in the Sahel region carried out an ‘unprecedented’ 17-day operation against ‘armed terrorist groups’ in Burkina Faso and Mali. … More than 1,400 soldiers from Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and France took part in the operation, and more than half of those involved were from partner forces.

France has announced the death of a top jihadist leader in Mali, as it continues to push for European support in fighting the Islamist insurgency in the Sahel.

Florence Parly, the French minister of armed forces, has announced her country will be deploying ground troops to the "three borders" area of Burkina Faso. During a visit to the country's capital, Ouagadougou, she said on Monday, "the launch of operation 'Bourgou 4' will be led by Barkhane [France's military operation in the Sahel region of Africa], but with the eminent contribution of two Burkinabe companies.

At least 53 soldiers and a civilian were killed in an attack on an army post in northern Mali, government said, in one of the deadliest strikes against the West African country’s military. Islamic state claimed responsibility for the attack via its Amaq news agency, without providing evidence.