France claims capture of senior IS figure in MaliFrance is leaving Mali, but not the Sahel regionPARIS - French troops in Mali have captured a senior member of the Sahel affiliate of the Islamic State group, the French military said Wednesday. Albakaye will be held by French forces for questioning for several days and then handed to the Malian authorities, the military added. France is to complete its withdrawal from Mali within the next few months when its main military base at Gao will be returned to Malian forces. Relations between Mali and France plummeted after the military seized power in Bamako in August 2020. France began its anti-jihadist operations in the Sahel in 2013, helping Mali, its former colony, to snuff out a revolt in the north.

Source: Bangkok Post June 15, 2022 21:26 UTC