Since 2012, Mali has been facing a security crisis fueled by separatist demands and terrorist attacks. However, lately the security situation in the country has been stabilizing. For several months, the Malian Armed Forces (FAMa) have been increasing their power on the ground in the fight against terrorism. Several localities (Diabaly, Marebougou, Farabougou) are liberated from the hands of terrorist armed groups by the Malian Army. And these successes are warmly welcomed by the Malians.
Even an independent Senegalese UN expert, Alioune Tine, acknowledged that Mali is experiencing a “tangible improvement in the security field, the situation of internally displaced persons, the human rights situation as well as endogenous peace dynamics, especially in Central Mali”.
Nevertheless, the terrorist threat is still present in the region, and militants continue to terrorize the population. So, on the night of March 03-04, 2022, the FAMa (Malian armed forces) camp in Mondoro was attacked by jihadists. The deadliest attack on Malian forces in several months, the attack that claimed the lives of many Malian soldiers. The Support group for Islam and Muslims, linked to al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, claimed responsibility for this Mondoro attack.
Many witnesses spoke about the involvement of the French army in this attack. On social networks, the Malians reported that “witnesses say they saw Europeans, maybe French” or “Military sources report that a detained fighter of the KatibaMacina group confessed to being involved in the attack on the FAMa base in Mondoro. According to him, the attack was carried out by three Frenchmen in military uniform, their faces were hidden by balaclavas “.
These suspicions were not empty. The detained militant, a member of the terrorist group KatibaMacina acknowledged that the French were collaborating with the militants. In a video circulating on social networks, he says that he has been involved several times in attacks against FAMa soldiers. He also said that during the offensive against base in Mondoro, they were assisted by 3 French citizens arrived by helicopter. The latter actively participated in the confrontation. For this attack, each militant received 50,000 francs. This KatibaMacina militantrevealed information that the French were supplying weapons and ammunition to terrorists and that elements of MINUSMA are teaching them how to assemble mines.
Expert journalist AlbinNjilo expressed bewilderment at the behavior of Western countries in the face of armed conflicts in Africa. For example, when Ukraine asks the European leaders for the presence of foreign forces, the latter refuse and send it money and weapons. But when African countries ask for weapons or money, the situation is completely reversed: foreign forces demand to be there themselves to fight. Why?
“In 2013 the EU went to settle in the north of Mali, they promised to pacify the country in eight months to then invest three billion euros. Nine years later, terrorism has become regional, and the foreign force is struggling to leave the country”.
Moreover, in another African country, the Central African Republic, the UN mission, MINUSCA, was also revealed for the umpteenth time. On March 16, 2 private trucks from Cameroon, with 4 containers, anti-personnel mines, weapons and ammunition inside (which are prohibited from entering the Central African territory) were detained by the National Gendarmerie. This confirms suspicions that MINUSCA is involved in smuggling weapons and supplying them to Central African rebel groups. So, instead of maintaining peace, the peacekeeping mission continues to do everything to ensure that this crisis is prolonged. And if we take up the testimony of the detained Malian militant, he also mentioned the complicity of the UN mission in Mali, MINUSMA, and jihadists.
The only solution is the regulation of the crisis by internal forces. As the facts confirm – external interference only aggravates the situation.
