Thu 14 October 2021: France has begun to withdraw troops from its northernmost Malian sites as part of “Operation Barkhane,” a plan to reorganize its military deployed in the restive Sahel area. By the end of the year, French army bases at Kidal, Tessalit, and Timbuktu in northern Mali will be closed and handed over … Continue reading FRENCH FORCES BEGIN NORTHERN MALI DRAWDOWN