It’s time for certain avenues to be explored.”Mali has been facing violence since 2012, when Islamist militants took over the north. With the help of France, Mali’s army has recaptured the territory. Earlier this year, Mali announced a plan to increase the size of its army by about 50% in a recruitment drive this year aimed at uprooting jihadist groups. Much of central and northern Mali is largely lawless, and groups use the area as a base from which to launch attacks across neighboring Niger and Burkina Faso. France has 4,500 troops in Mali and the wider Sahel and local international forces have also teamed up to contain the problem, but attacks have continued.

Source: The North Africa Journal February 11, 2020 23:15 UTC