Mali

Mali's Foreign Minister, Abdoulaye Diop, has issued a stringent warning to the United Nations (UN) against any foreign interference in the affairs of neighboring Niger. This warning was issued in the context of a mutual defense pact established between the military juntas of Mali and Niger, a move that signifies their collective intent to resist foreign interventions.Strong Opposition to ECOWAS Military InterventionsDiop's address to the UN General Assembly expressed Mali's staunch opposition to any military interventions by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). He articulated that any external invasion in Niger could pose a significant threat to the peace and security of Mali. Furthermore, such an invasion could destabilize the entire region, leading to severe consequences that could ripple across international borders.Reinforcing Sovereign Rights and Regional Stability...

Mali’s military junta has launched air strikes and an airborne operation against “terrorist groups” in the north of the country, where jihadists have been imposing a blockade on Timbuktu since late August. A preventive attack The army said on X, formerly Twitter, that it carried out “preventive FAMa (Malian Armed Forces) air strikes followed by an airborne operation” on Wednesday. The target was “armed terrorist groups, including a wanted terrorist leader”, who had been threatening the civilian population 35 kilometres (22 miles) north of Timbuktu. A tense situation Timbuktu, a historic city and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has been under siege by jihadists for more than a month, according to local officials. The militants have blocked the access roads and cut off the supply of food and fuel. The residents have been living in fear and hardship, with limited access to water and electricity. (...