France military checks for bombs and potholes as it withdraws from Mali base

Last week, the French military drove out of a distant facility in northern Mali before dawn for the final time, forming a mile-long column through the bleak desert terrain.

Helicopters whizzed overhead, providing air support for hundreds of troops leaving the camp near Gossi in trucks and armored cars. A crew of sappers led the way, searching the sandy floor for explosives.

“We’re in the middle of the desert, on a road with enormous potholes, and we’re in direct danger from opponents who can plant mines or attack us with a vehicle bomb,” said Lieutenant Imran, who is part of a tactical unit tasked with securing the convoy.

This is how France’s retreat from northern Mali looks: laborious and lengthy, passing through hostile territory that its forces have failed to secure after ten years of conflict.

The withdrawal from Gossi follows similar departures from sites in Timbuktu and Kidal, and is part of a staged pullback planned by France in February in response to escalating violence and deteriorating ties between the two countries. find out more

It brings to a close an operation that began in 2013 with swift victories over Islamist extremists who had taken control of sections of the north, but quickly devolved into a quagmire that absorbed thousands of troops and billions of euros.

In Mali, more than 50 French soldiers have died. Anti-French sentiment rose as the battle progressed, and relations with Mali’s military junta, which took control in 2020, became irreparably strained.

Now is the time for a pivot in the worldwide war against jihadists in the region. Rights groups and others believe that as France leaves Mali, Russian mercenaries from the Wagner Group have moved in, increasing concerns among Western countries about a possible surge in bloodshed. find out more

Mali and Russia have previously said that mercenaries are not present in Mali, and that Russian trainers are assisting local troops.

The Gossi outpost is barely more than a walled complex surrounded by scrubland, and it housed between 300 and 400 men.

Soldiers slept under the stars on cots. It was a hive of activity last week as they put generators and other equipment onto trucks.

The route north to Gao is 160 kilometers (100 miles), but it took the convoy a day and a half to get there due to its slow speed. The soldiers are familiar with the road, which passes through miles of prickly brush, rocky outcroppings, and the occasional camel. Breakdowns are a typical occurrence.

The French soldiers handed over the base to the Malian army before leaving on April 19. The French flag was lowered and removed, and the Malian flag was substituted, all as saluting soldiers looked on.

Since then, the base has been in the news. The French military published drone images showing personnel burying dead close to the facility a day after they left. According to the army, Russian mercenaries were attempting to defame French soldiers. The clip could not be independently verified by Reuters.

The government of Mali has verified the discovery of bodies near the base and has launched an investigation. Requests for comment from the Wagner Group and Russian officials were not returned.