French President Emmanuel Macron has announced the withdrawal of troops from Mali. However, the soldiers are to be redeployed to other African countries in the Sahel.
The president made the announcement at the Élysée Palace on Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022, after meeting with African heads of state in Paris on Wednesday.
At the conference, Macron said, "We cannot continue to engage militarily alongside de facto authorities whose strategy and hidden objectives we do not share."
He also defended himself against the widespread view that France has abysmally failed in its mission in Mali. Referring to the word "failure" in the context of the operation, Macron said he "totally rejects this term" and maintained that French troops have helped Mali fight insurgents.
His highly anticipated announcement follows the recent standoff with Mali's strongman Assimi Goita and his team, who have taken tough measures in dealing with diplomatic relations with France and its allies.