France and EU to withdraw troops from Mali, remain in region

By SYLVIE CORBET and SAMUEL PETREQUIN
Associated Press

PARIS (AP) — France has announced it will no longer have troops in Mali by the summer amid tensions with the West African country’s ruling military junta. Yet Paris intends to maintain a military presence in neighboring West African nations. Announcing the move on Thursday, French President Emmanuel Macron accused Mali’s junta of neglecting the fight against Islamic extremists. France has about 4,300 troops in the Sahel region, including 2,400 in Mali. The force is also involved in Chad, Niger, Burkina Faso and Mauritania. European leaders simultaneously announced Thursday that troops from the European-led military task force also would withdraw from Mali. A French military spokesperson told the AP the withdrawal will be “complex” because extremists will “likely harass” French troops.