Mali Ends Counterterrorism Pact with France Amid Rising Tensions

Mali's ruling junta has officially ended its counterterrorism cooperation with France, additionally expelling five employees of the French Embassy. The Associated Press has reported on a confidential letter highlighting the diplomatic tensions escalating between the two countries.

According to a letter dated September 17 from Mali's Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the French Embassy in Bamako, the five staff members were labeled "personae non grata," prompting the cessation of all international counterterrorism efforts collaboratively with France. The reason for this course of action was not detailed in the ministry's note.

Following the arrest of a French intelligence officer in Bamako, accused by Malian authorities of plotting a coup, relations between the nations have deteriorated sharply. While France and Mali's intelligence services had maintained a cooperative stance despite the withdrawal of French troops, recent developments further complicate the security landscape, which remains dire due to ongoing militant attacks linked to al-Qaida.