Mali

Main article: Africa

Population

Main article: Population of Africa

People

Dogons

Dogons are a hunting people of 800 thousand people, mainly living in Mali and the border regions of Burkina Faso. About 90% are Muslims, about 10% are Christians.

In Mali, a pro-government militia Dan Na Ambassagu ("Hunters who believe in God") is formed from Dogons to fight the Islamists, and the spelling Dan Ambassagu is also found.

Leader Dan Na Ambassagu for February 2024 - Youssouf Toloba.

The stronghold of Dan Na Ambassagou is the Bandiagar Highlands in the Mopti region (central Mali).

Dan Na Ambassagu consists not only of Dogons, but also of other ethnic groups - Mossi, Bobo, Telem, etc. In this regard, it has a flexible umbrella structure, militia units are busy guarding their own villages, some villages nominally submit to Yusuf Toloba, in practice having little contact with other commanders.

Because of this, it is difficult to determine the exact number of Dan Na Ambassador, according to various estimates, it ranges from several hundred to 5 thousand people. The backbone of Dan Na Ambassagu is made up of professional hunters.

As of early 2023, the militia has Toloba's personal security, a semblance of special forces (the Mad detachment) and a political wing led by former Mali captain Mamadou Goudienkile.

Gudyenkile is responsible for contacts with the press and coordination with the Malian official authorities. Both the military and political wing of Dan Na Ambassagu are most active in the Bandiagar Highlands area. In large cities (Bamako, Mopi, Sevare) there are representatives of Dan Na Ambassagu to communicate with government agencies on the ground.

Dogons act as informants and guides for government forces in counter-terrorism operations or put their militias to the aid of the army.

The Dogons live mixed with the Fulani, who supply manpower to the ranks of the Islamists. In view of this, many Dogons speak both the Bamana language (which is state-owned in Mali along with French) and the Fulani language, and can be involved as translators to communicate with Malian military personnel and during interrogations of Fulani terrorists.

To protect against Dogon, the Fulani either turn to Islamists for help or form their own militia. In some cases, such a militia does not want to contact Islamists in order to avoid problems with the authorities. At the same time, Fulani units, which do not want to cooperate with Islamists and advocate military cooperation with catch-ups, are a minority, are characterized by a weak organizational and command structure and a lack of resources for a full autonomous existence.

In terms of combat potential, such detachments are significantly inferior to the Dogon militia and Islamist Fulani groups.

The main opponent of Dan Na Ambassagu are the Islamist groups Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam val Muslim (DNIM, banned in Russia) and Katiba Masina. The power potential of these groups is higher than that of Dan Na Ambassador. At the same time, the DNIM combines forceful actions with propaganda actions, trying to mediate the conflict between the catch-ups and the Fulani in order to attract the Dogons to their side, since not all Dogon villages agree to join Dan Na Ambassag.

In turn, influential Western expert centers (for example, Crisis Group, etc.), under the guise of independent recommendations, promote the idea of ​ ​ simultaneously disarming militia groups without taking into account their role in ensuring the security of the Malian state. It is proposed to disarm both Dan Na Ambassagu and the Fulani militia fighting against Dan Na Ambassagu. If this is done, the African Corps channel wrote, DNIM, Katiba Masina and other Islamist groups will receive greater freedom of action, the recruitment of ethnic Fulani into the ranks of Islamists will not stop, and the Mali Armed Forces will lose one of the main allies (Dogons).

The Mali Armed Forces are recommended to abandon counter-terrorism measures and switch to passive defense of civilian facilities and settlements, which will mean a deliberate loss in the confrontation with terrorists. In parallel, Western human rights organizations are creating a negative information background around Dan Na Ambassagu, accusing the Dogons of attacks on the Fulani and human rights violations. Such accusations are not heard against the Fulani Islamists. 

Yilan

Main article: Fulbe (Fulani)

Tuaregs

Main article: Tuaregi

Migration

2021: Net outflow over 4 years

14 languages, the main one is Bambara

As of 2024, 13 national languages ​ ​ are used in Mali. French, which is common among 17% of the population as a second language, received the status of a "working" language after a referendum held in 2023. It is used in the media, in administrative and political institutions.

The most common language is Bambara - it is used as a first or second language in central and southern Mali about 80% of the population. As a percentage, the number of residents using the rest of the national languages ​ ​ as the main one is less than 10%.

Most of Mali's languages are part of the Mande family, which belongs to the Niger-Congolese family. Other languages are included in the Dogon and Senufo languages, which also belong to the Niger-Congolese family. Mande, Senufo and Dogon stand out among the Niger-Congolese languages because of their deviating basic order of the words "subject-object-verb." Fula, common throughout western Africa, is a member of the Senegambian branch.

Other language families include Afrasian, represented by the Berber language Tamashek and Arabic, and Songai languages.

Marriages

Allowed to have more than one spouse

Overweight

Mortality

2022: Life expectancy - 59.4 years

2018: Traffic safety

2016: Opioid deaths

Fighting Colonial Dependence on France

For 2023, Mali is fighting colonial dependence on France, which controls all significant processes in politics and the economy. For more on specific instruments of influence, see French Foreign Policy.

Armed Forces

2024

The local army is not ready to defend the country without outside support

In 2024, Mali's armed forces run away at every opportunity. And this does not happen only in conditions when there are Russian specialists at the military post, or if the UAV delivered the first blow to the attackers.

The offensive actions of government forces at this time are also never without the support of PMC Wagner. It was also in the case of the capture of the stronghold of militants in the north - the city of Kidal, which the Malians have not controlled since 2012.

This is due to the fact that all the work to preserve statehood has always lay on the shoulders of not the national army, but the external actors, which until 2022 were the French. Local pro-government militias in this regard have more motivation to defend their lands.

On top of that, there is also a drop in the prestige of military service in the country. Young people are trying to become police officers, because due to corruption, they can provide relatively comfortable accommodation for their family. At this time, the penny salary of military personnel, disgusting rations and, of course, frequent losses do not increase the flow of recruits.

The extremely limited training of the local army does not give its fruits, due to the lack of staff officers.

Small groups of trained military personnel often "evaporate." The infantry regiment can mix trained gunners and driver mechanics, and then send them to the front post. There is no need to talk about interaction in such compounds.

In the event of a Russian military withdrawal or reduction, there is always the possibility that the country's armed forces will surrender almost all of the territory to local radicals or separatists. After all, they never independently coped with internal threats.

Establishment of the "Army Rapid Response Force" (FIRA)

In April 2024, Mali's transitional president, Colonel Assimi Goita, signed a decree establishing the Army Rapid Reaction Force (FIRA) as part of the country's armed and security forces.

According to the decree, FIRAs are responsible for planning, coordinating and conducting operations aimed at achieving operational results and combating terrorist or criminal organizations.

The Rapid Response Force is also responsible for

• participation in hostage rescue operations;
• for the protection of high-ranking military and civilian figures, as well as important facilities;
• for providing support to Special Forces as required.

FIRAs can act throughout the country against any security threat.

Economy

GDP $892 per person

Currency: CFA franc

Main article: Frank CFA (CFA)

Inflation

Inflation in November - 11.3%

Foreign trade

2023:35% of wheat supplies come from Russia and Ukraine

Transport

In 2024, the railway network in Mali is represented by one line that connects the city of Kulikoro (Mali) and the port of Dakar Senegal.

The main water transport artery is the Niger River.

Mining

2024: Start of cooperation with Rosatom in geological exploration

The authorities of Mali and the Russian state corporation Rosatom in July 2024 signed three cooperation agreements and discussed joint projects, including the prospects for the construction of nuclear power plants.

In addition to discussing the "strategic project for the construction of a low-capacity nuclear power plant in Mali," the parties spoke about projects for the production of solar energy and geological exploration.

Mali at this time is one of the most promising countries in Africa for the search and mining of uranium.

There is no exact data on reserves yet, but there is a lot of indirect evidence that significant uranium mining was carried out illegally in territories not controlled by the state. In addition, the presence of rich deposits in the border areas with Niger, where reserves are explored and actively mined, is very likely.

Exploration in Mali is already being carried out by companies such as Northern Canadian Uranium Inc., Delta Exploration Inc., Rockgate Capital Corp and other Western firms.

2016: Islamists restart gold exports

In 2016, al-Qaeda and Islamic State-linked movements seized hundreds of semi-abandoned and artisanal gold mines in Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali, becoming security guarantors and resellers for millions of illegal prospectors. They declared the collection of zakat from prospectors a "halal" practice and - to the great delight of local residents - abandoned the increasingly less profitable abductions for ransom.

Precious metal mined at the mines they control is sent to Togo, and from there it is transported to the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Switzerland and India. As the Zangaro Today telegram channel wrote, in just one year, jihadists became the main employers for residents of remote and depressed desert districts, got rich by $2 billion and found an inexhaustible source of recruits in mines and in the surrounding settlements, welcoming bans on alcohol and prostitution and distribution of alms among those in need.

R&D

2020: R&D expenses - $161 million

Mali IT Market

2022: More than 1 start-up

Agriculture

2019: Low use of pesticides in agriculture

Consumption

2023: Fish consumption is higher than meat consumption

2019: Average rice consumption: 76 kg per person per year

2018: Vegetable consumption - 121 kg per capita

Power

2023: Blackout protests

On April 26, 2023, in southern Mali, in the city of Bla, hundreds of local residents protested against a long-term power cut. The protesters demand to immediately restore round-the-clock electricity supply to facilitate the life of the population during high temperatures.

During the dry hot season, the air temperature in Mali can reach 45 degrees Celsius. At the same time, the country has been facing power shortages for several decades, especially in rural areas.

2020: Ultra-low energy consumption per capita

and

2019: Electrification rate 50%

Education

2019: Only 38.7% of the population can read

Health care

2021: Maternity leave

in

2020

Duration of guaranteed paid sick leave from 1 to 2.9 months

Part of the population defecates on the street

Crime

2024: The rise of drug trafficking by armed groups

Main article: Drug trafficking

According to [1] a UN report published in the spring of 2024, the number of drug seizures in the African Sahel region has increased sharply, indicating that significant routes for the trafficking of various illegal substances pass through this region.

In 2022, 1,500 kg of cocaine was seized in Mali, Chad, Burkina Faso and Niger, compared with an average of 13 kg between 2013 and 2020. A sharp increase has been observed since 2021.

From this, it can be concluded that cocaine traffic from Latin America changes the delivery patterns of the product to Europe, using West Africa.

So Senegal and Guinea became one of the main hubs from where narcotic substances enter European countries. Despite the perceived struggle with large parties and the detention of traders, corruption allows illegal traders to easily redirect traffic in the right direction.

From Dakar and Conakry, cocaine enters Mali, where separatists Azawada and radical Islamists from the al-Qaeda-affiliated group Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslim (DNIM) organize transit through the town of Tabankort in the north of the country. Then cocaine enters the Niger city of Agadez, from where it is redirected to Libya, and from Tobruk traffic goes to Europe.

By ensuring the smooth operation of drug trafficking, various armed groups in the Sahel receive funds for the purchase of weapons in the illegal market.

Prisons

2019: The minimum age for children to be jailed is 13

2018: Number of prisoners per 100 thousand citizens

Terrorism

• Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM)

Culture

Religion

Mali is a secular state. The country's criminal code spelled out criminal liability for religious prosecutions. At the same time, due to the civil war and the presence of various jihadist groups, persecution of Christians began in the north of the country in the 2010s.

In 2024, about 90% of the population of Mali profess Islam, 8% adhere to traditional beliefs, about 2% are Christians (Catholics and Protestants).

Islam

2024: Important role of Sufi fraternities - tariqas

As of 2024, the majority of Muslims in the country are Sunni. An important role in religious life is occupied by Sufi fraternities (tariqas). The oldest tariqa is tijaniya, which has special influence in the southern regions of the country. In the west, the influence of the hamalliya tariqa is noticeable, in the north - the kadiriya. In Mali, there are also adherents of the Sufi movement of Muridiyya. Several thousand followers of the Senusiyya tariqa live on the border with Niger. There are also adherents of the Ahmadiyya sect in Bamako.

XII century: The destruction of the imamate of Rustamids and the transition of Mali from Ibadism to Malikite Sunnism, centered on Timbuktu

After the Imamat of the Rustamids was destroyed by the Fatimids, the influence of the Ibadites in the 11th-12th centuries south of the Sahara comes to an end and preachers, traders and immigrants adhering to the Malikite madhhab begin to arrive there without hindrance. And instead of the Ibadite Gao, the Malikite Timbuktu becomes the new center.

Nevertheless, the transition from Ibadism to Malikite Sunnism in Mali took a long time, wrote Kirill Semenov.

In particular, the Ibadites lived there back in the XIV century and were called "saganogo." They, in particular, are mentioned by Ibn Battut. Also, the Ibadit was Sonny Ali, the ruler of the Songai state. But after the 15th century, judging by available sources, all the Muslims of Mali were already Malikites.

Nevertheless, the architecture of Malian mosques still bears Ibadite features and the proximity of this architecture to the architecture of mosques in the Ibadite region of Mzab/Gardaya in Algeria, which was also a fragment of the Imamat Rustamids, is obvious.

9th century: The Ibadite rulers of the Rustamid state from present-day Algeria bring Islam to Mali, centered in Gao

Islam began to spread in Mali in the 9th century and is a Muslim country with the oldest centers of Islam south of the Sahara.

It was from Mali that the spread of Islam began in the trans-Saharan region and the Sahel and this happened exclusively peacefully.

At the same time, Islam in Mali was brought not by Sunni preachers, but by Ibadite Muslims who fought the Umayyads and were able to create their own states, including in North Africa.

So, if the Ibadites from Oman owe the spread of Islam to East Africa, where the Ibadite leaders Oman Suleiman and Sayyid resettled with their supporters after Hajaj ibn Yusuf conquered Oman on behalf of the ruler Abd al-Malik from Banu Omeya.

That sub-Saharan Islam began to spread due to the active activities of the Imamat Rustamids, another Ibadite state that existed in the 8th-10th centuries in the territory of modern Algeria and took control of all trade routes through the Sahara. And the Ibadites became the discoverers of land on the Western Nile, as the Niger River was then called.

If the Omani Ibadites used their Dow ships to colonize and spread Islam in East Africa, the Ibadites of the Rustamid state used "desert ships," that is, camels on which they crossed the sandy ocean.

Imam Aflah (Yaflah) ibn "Abd al-Wahhab ar-Rustami himself, the ruler of the Rustamid state (824-872), wanted to make a personal trip to Mali to convince the local ruler and his people to convert to Islam, but his health did not allow him. And then the imam sent his son Ali to Mali, who beat the ruler of Mali and his people to Islam.

Therefore, it is natural that at the first stage of the Islamic history of Mali, Ibadite Islam was professed, and the city of Gao, founded by the Rustamids, which was also their largest trading post, became the main center of Islam in this country.

Catholicism

Catholicism began to spread in Mali from the second half of the 19th century, after the capture of this territory by the French. The first Roman Catholic missionaries appeared here in 1868.

After the country gained independence, the Roman Catholic Church became self-governing rather than missionary.

Over half of the supporters of the Roman Catholic Church in 2024 are concentrated in two dioceses - Bamako and San. Most Catholics live in the Segu region (up to 40% of Malian Catholics).

He heads the Roman Catholic Church of Mali, the archbishop (Malian), to whom five bishops are subordinate (three of them foreign - French missionaries) and over 150 clergymen, including many foreign missionaries.

The Roman Catholic Church has at its disposal over 40 cathedrals, churches and other religious buildings, about 70 different profiles of educational institutions, in which more than 10% of all students of Malians study.

Protestantism

Protestantism began to spread in Mali only at the beginning of the 20th century.

Missionary activities are primarily carried out by representatives of the North American organizations of the Presbyterian Church.

Although Christians in Mali are small, most of them - representatives of the nobility and traders, occupy a niche of the middle class. But due to the presence of foreign missionaries, they are a more francophile group than the rest.

Traditional beliefs

Traditional African beliefs in 2024 play an important role in the spiritual life of the peoples of Mali and have a great influence on Malian Muslims and Christians, who retain some elements of traditional beliefs, primarily animism.

Cults are based on the worship of the spirits of ancestors and faith in the reincarnation of the soul. The complex mythological system of bambara and dogon includes a large pantheon of heroes and deities. The main deities at the bambara are Pemba and his wife Muso Koroni Kundye. In addition to creative power, the divine couple is also credited with the possibility of destructive action: it is believed that Pemba deprived people of immortality, and Muso Koroni Kundye brought evil to the world out of jealousy, but later trained people in agriculture.

The main Dogon deity is Amma, who, according to their beliefs, has 14 incarnations corresponding to the 14 worlds he created (7 heavenly and 7 earthly). This people have a cult of masks, with which ritual dances are associated. Every 60 years, the Dogons celebrate the ancient religious festival of "sigi," culminating in the removal of a 10-meter sacred mask.

Cinema

Films by Suleiman Cisse

The Malian director with a diploma from VGIK Suleiman Cisse during the dictatorship of Musa Traore was imprisoned for shooting with French money rather harsh in relation to local reality and the film "Girl" that angered the authorities (Den muso, 1975). His main character becomes a victim of rape, but instead of sympathy and support, she meets with a completely backlash from society.

The repression did not scare the director, and, having been released, he made another acutely social film - "The Wind" (Finye, 1982), in which two teenagers - a young man and a girl - come into conflict with their parents, thereby symbolizing the rebellion of Malian youth against both the traditional aristocracy and the new political establishment.

History

2024

Abdoulaye Maiga named prime minister

In November 2024, Shogel Maiga, Prime Minister of Mali, was dismissed and replaced by Abdoulaye Maiga. The reason for the removal from office was his criticism of the transitional authorities and complaints about the restrictions on his powers.

The new prime minister is close to the current president of the country and is a more ardent supporter of the anti-French line.

Mali Army and PMC Wagner ambushed in skirmish with Tuareg and Azawad movement

For details on the incident, see PMC Wagner

Spain is the main conductor of Western politics in Mali

In May 2024, the states of the European Union decided not to renew the mandate of the EUTM mission in Mali after May 18, 2024.

Like MINUSMA, EUTM's activities have proved to be of little practical use. During her 11 years in residence, she caused only discussions of the European public and led to the deaths of several servicemen.

However, the current command of the mission in Madrid does not consider this act to be the final severance of ties with the Malian leadership. The Spanish Minister of Defense expressed a desire for other bilateral agreements and the preservation of the Spanish military presence in Mali.

At this time, Spain is the main conductor of European influence in the Sahel. So it is Spanish diplomats who make a significant contribution to keeping the pro-Western position of the Mauritanian authorities. Thus, they paved the way for subsequent projects by the Pentagon leadership.

The Spanish government is faced with the task of squeezing out Russian influence in Mali, wrote Rybar.

Colonel Assimi Goita suspended political parties for 4 months and extends military rule until 2027

On April 10, 2024, the head of Mali, Colonel Assimi Goita, issued a decree suspending the activities of political parties and associations of a political nature throughout the country until further notice.

The decision aims to end the ongoing political unrest that is damaging the country's stability and development.

"The activities of political parties and the activities of political associations throughout the country are suspended until further notice for security and public order reasons," the resolution adopted by the Council of Ministers said.

In July 2024, the Mali authorities lifted the ban on the work of political parties and associations, which has been in effect since April 2024.

The Council of Ministers recalled that it suspended the activities of political movements so as not to violate public order in the country.

The military government, led by Colonel Assimi Goita, conducted an inter-Malian dialogue in the spring on how and when to organize a transition to civilian rule. As a result, the discussion came down to extending the transition period until 2027.

Leaving ECOWAS

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is a regional organization established in 1975 to strengthen economic cooperation between West African countries . In January 2024, Mali decided to leave the organization. The peoples of Africa are shedding the yoke of French neocolonialism.

2023

The liberation of the city of Kidal by government forces

The Mali Armed Forces, together with the fighters of the Wagner PMC, in November 2023 successfully cleared the area around the already former makeshift capital of the Azawad Coordination Movement - the city of Kidal. Despite propaganda from the separatists, the local population was happy to see the army and Wagnerites.

The situation in the city has stabilized. Military personnel patrol the streets, and a curfew was imposed at night. All citizens who had previously left Kidal can return, authorities said.

Tuareg rebels, as expected, retreated into the desert to regroup. However, they have already stated that they intend to continue the fight.

In honor of the liberation of Kidal, after 10 years of occupation by Azawad, festive demonstrations were held in the major cities of Gao, Mopti, Bandiagara and Bamako. Some protesters also carried flags of Russia and Mali.

The governments of Niger, Burkina Faso and the Russian Federation congratulated the president of the transitional government of Mali, Assimi Goita, on his major success in the fight against the separatists from Azawad.

Under the Pod Kontrolem of the rebels Tuaregs , there are still large territories in the north of the country, and the city of Tessalit is still not connected to the territories controlled by government troops.

France organizes Tuareg attacks on Mali government troops

In September 2023, the Russian delegation headed by Deputy Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation Yunus-Bek Yevkurov again arrived in Mali. During the visit, Yevkurov met with the defense ministers of Mali and Niger, as well as with the leader of the Mali military government, Assimi Goita.

Probably, the increased attention of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation to the region is due to another escalation in connection with the Tuareg uprising and the growing threat from radical Islamists.

The Azawad Tuareg Coordination Movement, which declared war on the Mali government, is believed to be directly supported through France's DGSE foreign intelligence line. The attack on the city of Burem was a test of the forces of the militia and the capabilities of the Malian army, and the remaining units of the PMC Wagner. At this time, Tuareg rebels led by French operatives are preparing to attack the city of Gao, the capital of the province of the same name.

The DGSE assures Tuareg rebels that France will support their aspirations to create an independent state in the event of serious successes on the battlefield, and will help in the fight against militants from the local branch of the Islamic State and the Jamaat Nasr al-Islam wal-Muslim group affiliated with al-Qaeda.

The French leadership seeks to weaken pro-Russian influence in the Sahel and at the same time motivate other terrorist groups to intensify attacks on the positions of the Mali Armed Forces.

Amid a prolonged and inconclusive fight against militants in the deserts of northwestern and western Mali, French analysts expect growing discontent with both the current authorities, who cannot cope with the radicals, and Russia, which is allegedly unable to help them due to its participation in the conflict in Ukraine.

The long-running preparations for the uprising are evidenced by reports of two DGSE operatives being wounded in an accidental clash with an IS militant unit in northern Mali two months ago. The purpose of the trip was just negotiations with the leaders of the Tuareg Azavad.

Wheat supplies from Russia on preferential terms

Russia is supplying Mali with wheat, strengthening ties with one of its closest African allies. According to Africa Intelligence (July 2023), which previously reported supplies, wheat is supplied to Mali at a price of about $220 per ton. This is significantly lower than European grain prices, which currently amount to about $292 per ton.

China supplied Mali with about 100 armored vehicles

In early April 2023, China supplied Mali with about 100 armored vehicles, including VP-11 MRAP and Lynx CS/VP11. According to the armed forces, this technique should significantly strengthen the capabilities of the army to counter terrorist groups.

Refusal to condemn Russia in the conflict in Ukraine

A new package of military assistance from Russia

On January 19, 2023, in the presidential pavilion of Bamako International Airport in Mali, in the presence of Russian Ambassador Igor Gromyko, an official ceremony was held to transfer a new batch of Russian weapons to the Malian military. According to local sources, the Mali Air Force received:

• One Su-25 attack aircraft;
• Six combat training aircraft L-39;
• Two Mi-8 helicopters.

The commander of the Mali Air Force, General Alu Boi Diarra, rightly called the received Russian equipment "an unprecedented modernization of the Malian forces." Obviously, the last batch of military assistance has become the most voluminous since the beginning of Mali's cooperation with Russia.

Thus, since October 2021, the Malian military has received four Mi-17 helicopters, four Mi-35 helicopters, 2 Mi-8 helicopters, ten L-39 combat training aircraft and five Su-25 units. Against the background of France, which refuses to supply its satellites with the necessary equipment, Russia looks like a more serious and reliable military ally for African countries, the Rybar channel noted.

2022

Continued rapprochement with Russia

As of November 2022, the most active in Mali are still Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslim (affiliated with al-Qaeda) and Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (affiliated with IS).

If the first commits regular attacks mainly in the central region of Segu, then the second has been developing its presence in the Gao and Menaka regions for several months.

The struggle for control of territories is the cause of intense armed clashes between the groups themselves, which in turn leads to even greater civilian casualties.

The Malian army, with the support of PMC Wagner, is conducting operations in vulnerable areas. According to the reports of the Malian army, 133 militants were liquidated in October 2022, 122 suspects were arrested.

In response to the increased activity of the Russian PMC, France on November 17 suspended financial assistance to Mali's development programs.

Just a few days later, the Malian authorities banned the activities of all NGOs associated with France as a response gesture. Representatives of the government and civil society of Mali commented on the actions of the French as attempts to "use aid in the form of a means of blackmail."

After the official completion of Operation Barkhane by the French, Britain, Kot-d, Sweden, Germany and Lithuania have already announced the withdrawal of their contingents from Mali. Earlier, Benin, Denmark and Egypt took similar measures.

Pakistan, Bangladesh and India, on the contrary, announced plans to deploy their helicopter units.

Another step towards rapprochement with Russia was the working visit of the Minister of Internal Affairs of Mali, Brigadier General Daoud Ali Mohammedin to Moscow. At a meeting with Russian Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev, an agreement was signed on cooperation in the field of security, intelligence and personnel training.

The departure of British troops from Mali

In November 2022, the British government decided to end its military presence in Mali. This was expected after the withdrawal of French troops from the country and the official completion of Operation Barkhan.

In Mali, the British were based at a base in Gao in the northeast of the country. After the French left, they were cut off from supply, and the neighborhood with the fighters of the Russian PMC Wagner who came in their place beat the reputation of the United Kingdom. In this situation, the further content of the contingent was devoid of any meaning.

Britain entered Malian territory in the same pattern as PMC Wagner: in 2013, the country sent 20 instructors to the Sahel to train the local army. Later, the British gradually increased the number of troops, bringing them to 300 troops. All of them operated within the framework of the UN mission MINUSMA.

Against the background of the French, the British cannot boast of any success in Mali at all. So, in news reports, the contingent from Foggy Albion was marked only by a shootout with Estonian servicemen in the same Gao.

However, what is happening should not be considered the surrender of Great Britain in the Sahel, the Rybar telegram channel noted. In London, they act according to the plan agreed with Paris: within its framework, French President Emmanuel Macron intends to develop a new African strategy in six months. The region will remain in the form of 3,000 French troops in Niger and Burkina Faso.

Wagner PMC hits back at Gao base

A major clash between Wagner PMCs took place on the 20th of August 2022, when terrorists attacked a base in Gao with a group of 150 militants. The attack was repulsed by a special forces detachment of 20 people with the support of the "Wagnerites." The militants lost 70 people killed.

The presence of the Wagner PMCs not only expanded the capacity for counter-terrorism measures, but also allowed government forces to once again take the lead in regaining control of the national territory.

Mali demands at the UN to stop acts of aggression by France

In August 2022, Mali asked the UN Security Council to convene an emergency meeting to put an end to what it regards as "acts of aggression" by France in the form of violations of its sovereignty and support provided, according to Bamako, to "jihadist and spy groups."

On August 17, the Malian Foreign Ministry circulated a letter from Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop to the UN Security Council accusing France of "repeated and frequent violations" of national airspace by the French Air Force. The minister says Mali "reserves the right to self-defence" under the UN Charter if France's actions continue.

France withdrew troops from Mali without defeating IS and al-Qaeda

In August 2022, the French Ministry of Defense announced the complete withdrawal of all units of the armed forces from Mali. They have been in the African country since 2012 as part of Operations Serval and Barhan to combat radical Islamic groups.

On August 15, 2022, the French completed the withdrawal of the contingent, transferring the last military base in Gao to the hands of the Malians, where the fighters of the Wagner PMC were seen on August 17.

For almost 10 years of the French military presence, it was not possible to defeat terrorist organizations in the country. Local branches of al-Qaeda and Islamic State (banned in Russia) have only increased influence and combat capabilities, and attacks on garrisons and settlements have become almost regular.

All this led to a wave of anti-French protests in 2020-2021 and subsequent military coups. Later, Bamako turned to Russian military advisers and the Wagner PMC, who successfully showed themselves in the fight against anti-government groups in the Central African Republic, for help.

However, even the final withdrawal of troops from Mali does not mean a complete loss of influence by France in the country: the Paris authorities and business to this day tightly control the economy of the African state and are in no hurry to leave it.

Radical Islamists kill more than 40 Malian troops

On August 7, 2022, in eastern Mali, in the area of ​ ​ three borders near the city of Tessit, one of the bloodiest battles took place with the participation of the Malian army and Islamic State militants in the Greater Sahara.

As a result of the clash, 42 Malian troops were killed and 22 wounded. The militants lost 37 people. Islamists used UAVs, explosive vehicles and grenade launchers, the government said.

Tessit is on the border with Burkina Faso and Niger - in the zone of increased activity of IS militants and gangs associated with al-Qaeda. The groups are fighting each other over gold deposits in the most remote regions of the three countries.

The city's connection with the outside world is hampered by the lack of stable mobile communication in the city and poor road traffic during the rainy season. Clashes there occur regularly, so civilians flee to the larger city of Gao, 150 km north.

The activation of groups demanded more involvement of Russia in the fight against terrorism. On August 9, Russia handed over L-39 and Su-25 combat aircraft, Mi-24P and Mi-8 helicopters and CASA C-295 transporters to Mali.

On August 10, a telephone conversation between Russian President Putin and the head of Mali's transition period, Assimi Goit, also took place, in which the latter spoke about the fight against terrorist groups.

According to him, over 60 militants were destroyed in June, and the current escalation is a retaliatory attempt to defend the zone of influence. And aviation supplies can strengthen the position of the Malian army in hard-to-reach regions.

2021: Colonel Assimi Goita leads the country and begins a course towards cooperation with Russia

The most difficult situation with the weakening of states by terrorists has developed in Mali, Burkina Faso and the Three Borders region.

The failure of local authorities to deal with armed groups led to coups in Mali in 2020 and 2021, and two coups in Burkina Faso in 2022. In both countries, the military was in power.

The new Malian leadership, led by Colonel Assimi Goita, has been pursuing a consistent course towards expanding military-technical cooperation with Russia since September 2021.

His policies enjoy broad popular support amid rising anti-French sentiment and the popularity of Wagner PMCs in the region.

"Musicians" have been openly operating in Mali since the end of 2021, stationed at military bases in different parts of the country and in the capital. Almost immediately, in addition to training the local armed forces, they had to take part in battles with the militants.

2020

Assimi Goit-led military dethrones Ibrahim Boubacar Keita

Ibrahim Boubacar Keita could not solve the problem with jihadists, and already in 2020 he was overthrown by a group of military personnel under the leadership of Assimi Goit.

Jihadists kill 15 Malian soldiers

The attack on Camp Sokolo in central Mali at the end of January 2020 killed at least 15 Malian gendarmes.

Terrorists arrived on motorcycles armed to the teeth. After the attack, they took almost all of the camp's weapons with them. Some soldiers managed to leave the attack zone, sources said.

Camp Sokolo is located in the circle of Nyono, in the Segu region, where jihadist groups associated with al-Qaeda operate.

Donzo kills 14 people from Fulani people

From the central part of Mali in mid-January 2020, there are reports of 14 killed and two wounded during a night attack on a village of the Fulani people.

Some of the victims had their throats slit. The attackers were allegedly donzo hunters.

Apparently, the resignation of the government in April 2019, which followed the massacre of the Fulani, did not particularly help in resolving the conflict.

2019

France eliminates 33 militants in Mali

French President Emmanuel Macron December 21, 2019, announced that 33 "terrorists" were "neutralized" in the morning in Mali by the French military, who were involved in Operation Barkhane. Macron made this statement in the capital of Kot-d 'Ivoire, Abidjan.

Macron said that the French military during the operation released two Malian gendarmes, whom the jihadists held hostage. And they also captured one militant, the president added, without clarifying the details.

The General Staff of the French Armed Forces confirmed that 33 militants of "armed terrorist groups" were killed by Operation Barkhan. The military noted that the operation was spontaneous and took place on Saturday night in a forest near the border with Mauritania. It is noted that the Islamist group Makina Liberation Front, associated with al-Qaeda, operates in this zone.

The General Staff reported that several dozen units, Tigre attack helicopters and a Reaper drone were involved in the operation. And the operation itself on Saturday morning was still ongoing.

950 French soldiers are stationed in Mali. They regularly deliver equipment and goods to Operation Barhan bases in Niger and Mali. As part of Operation Barkhan, four and a half thousand French troops are involved.

24 soldiers killed in attack by IS militants

Twenty-four soldiers were killed and 29 wounded in an attack in mid-November 2019 on an army patrol in northern Mali. The military managed to contain the militants, 17 of whom were eliminated.

The Malian patrol that was attacked participated in a joint operation with Niger against Islamists operating near the border. The attackers are not identified, it is not known which group they belong to.

Days later, IS claimed responsibility for killing 30 soldiers in Mali.

The West African branch of the terrorist group recognized the attack on an army patrol in Tabankort, which killed 30 servicemen and wounded dozens, writes SITE Intelligence Group.

49 servicemen killed by jihadists

49 troops and one civilian were killed in early November 2019, three soldiers were wounded in a jihadist attack in the Indelimana area, Menaka region of Mali (border with Niger).

Apparently, this is a response to the recent successful operation of the Malian army to free its soldiers, as a result of which about 50 militants were eliminated.

The military eliminated 50 militants, 36 military rescued

In October 2019, the Malian army confirmed that as a result of the operation to rescue soldiers taken hostage after the terrorist attack on two military bases, 50 militants were eliminated. Another 20 were injured, all their equipment was destroyed.

36 Malian soldiers were rescued.

Al-Qaeda claimed responsibility for attacks on Malian army

In October 2019, al-Qaeda's West Africa affiliate claimed responsibility for attacks on two army bases in central Mali - Boulkessy and Mondoro - that killed 38 soldiers and left dozens missing.

Militants of the Jamaa Nusrat ul-Islam al-Muslim said they kidnapped two soldiers, including a colonel from the Boulkessy base. Jihadists also captured 76 machine guns, two mortars and cartridges.

Gunmen kill 25 Malian soldiers

In early October 2019, Malian authorities said at least 25 soldiers were killed and about 60 were missing in jihadist attacks on two military posts near the border with Burkina Faso.

In response, Mali, together with Burkina Faso, with the support of French troops stationed in the region, launched an anti-terrorist operation.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed concern about the escalation of violence in the Sahel, where civilian casualties quadrupled between 2012 and 2018.

Russian helicopter damaged during terrorist attack on airport

In July 2019, a helicopter of a Russian airline was damaged during an attack by terrorists in Mali, an informed source told Interfax.

"The terrorists attacked the Gao airport, where the Mi-8 of Utair, chartered under a contract with the UN, was located on the site. The helicopter was damaged, they will be eliminated by the airline, "the source said. The crew managed to hide in a safe place and was not injured.

New attack on the donzo. 41 people died

In mid-June 2019, unidentified motorcycles attacked two villages in Mali, killing at least 41 people.

This happened in the central part of the country, where ethnic conflicts broke out in recent months. The victims from the villages of Yoro and Gangafani were mainly representatives of the donzo hunting fraternity.

Murder of 35 people in Sobana village

The massacre in the settlement of the hunting brotherhood donzo took place on the night of June 9-10, 2019.

The number of victims of the attack on the village of Sobana in Mali is 35, not 95, as previously reported.

This was stated by Prime Minister Bubu Cisse after he visited the village himself.

By June 12, the attackers have not yet been found or even know who they are. There is a version that it is jihadists who incite intercommunal conflicts, so that later, on a paid basis, they offer their protection to rural residents. Later it was reported that the attack was carried out by representatives of the Fulani.

Donzo kills 150 people from the Fulani people

In March 2019, the Donzo killed more than 150 people from the Fulani people in two villages in central Mali, one of the bloodiest clashes in the country's recent history.

2017: Failure of French Operation Barkhane

The negative population of Mali towards the French has been actively formed since 2014, when Operation Serval ended against the Tuareg of Azawad. In alliance with radical Islamists, they tried to create their own state in northern Mali so that no one would prevent them from collecting taxes, trafficking in smuggling and building a business on transporting migrants to Europe.

The joint efforts of the French and the Malian army managed to prevent the collapse of the country, but it turned out to be more difficult to finish off the alliance of Tuareg and radical Islamists, so the presence of French troops was preserved in the format of Operation Barkhan.

Over time, the impression was formed that the French struggle with terrorists is imitative in nature and is needed only to maintain the image of France as an influential player in Africa.

Publicly, the reasons for the failure of Barkhan were announced back in 2017 by the commander of the French troops, Pierre de Villiers.

According to him, at the disposal of the so few contingent was outdated equipment, which often failed. Helicopters were poorly adapted to sandstorms and easily made their way from small arms. In fact, this made it impossible to raid deep into the territory of the militants, because at the first contact, French helicopters deployed to the base.

The lack of funds became a formal reason for reducing the contingent. The real reason is the depletion of uranium deposits, for the protection of which the troops were initially attracted.

As an alternative, it was also considered to attract Germany to participate in Barkhan and transfer responsibility to UN peacekeepers. Neither option worked because of the reluctance of other countries to spend money on a dubious adventure.

2013: Ibrahim Boubacar Keita wins election

The military ensured the holding of elections in 2013, during which Ibrahim Boubacar Keita came to power.

2012: Outbreak of civil war and arrest of Amadou Toumani Touré

Due to the civil war that began in 2012 and the failures in the fight against jihadists, the military arrested Amada Tumani Toure.

2002

In 2002, Amadou Toumani Touré came to power in Mali.

1992: Military overthrows Musa Traore

In 1991, the military overthrew Musa Traore and Alpha Umar Konare came to power during the elections in 1992.

The 1970th

1968: Former French legionnaire Moussa Traoré comes to power in coup

On 19 November 1968, Mali's first president, Modibo Keita, was the victim of a coup by a former French legionnaire, Lieutenant Moussa Traoré. The new head of state established a dictatorship in the country that lasted until 1991.

1962: Mali's first president, Modibo Keita, decided to abandon the FCFA colonial franc

On June 30, 1962, Modibo Keita, the first president of the Republic of Mali, decided to abandon the French colonial currency FCFA, which was imposed on 12 new African countries. For a Malian president who leaned more toward a socialist economy, it was obvious that a treaty to continue colonization with France was a trap and a burden on the country's development.

1960: Disintegration of the alliance with Senegal and obtaining the status of an independent state. Modibo Keita - First President

The Federation of Mali became independent on June 20, 1960, but this union broke up on August 20, 1960, when Mali became a separate state. On September 22, the country also withdrew from the French Community and changed its name to the Republic of Mali. The date is considered the independence day of Mali.

The first president was Modibo Keita, an adherent of the ideas of socialism and pan-Africanism.

1959: Joining Senegal and establishing the Federation of Mali

In January 1959, Mali's autonomy joined Senegal, forming the Mali Federation.

1958: Gaining autonomy within the Republic of Sudan

In 1958, Mali gained autonomy and joined the French Community called the Republic of Sudan.

1914

1880: French occupation and establishment of the colony of French Sudan

In 1880, the French, after defeating the peoples who settled the territory of modern Mali, formed a colony called French Sudan. The prohibition of freedom of confession, the transfer of land suitable for agriculture to the state and French immigrants was an ordinary matter for the colonial administration.

Bamana Empire

After the conquest by the Moroccan sultan Ahmad al-Mansur of the Songai Empire at the end of the 16th century, on the site of Mali in the 18th century, the Bamana people formed the Bamana Empire, which lasted until the end of the 19th century and was conquered by the Tukuler people.

Lands within the empires of Ghana, Mali and Songai

The modern state of Mali occupies territories that were once part of such empires as Ghana (IV-XIII centuries), Mali (XIII-XIV centuries) and Songai (XV-XVI centuries).

Sport

2022: The most popular sport is football

in

Calendar