France Suspends Counterterrorism Cooperation with Mali

France has suspended its counterterrorism cooperation with Mali and ordered two Malian diplomats to leave the country, following the arrest of a French diplomat in Bamako in August, according to a French diplomatic source.

Malian authorities announced last month that a French national had been detained on suspicion of working for French intelligence, accusing foreign powers of attempting to destabilize the country. In response, Paris has given the two expelled Malian diplomats until Saturday to depart.

The diplomatic row deepened after Mali declared five members of the French embassy in Bamako persona non grata, though they had already left the country on Sunday. A French official confirmed that further measures would be taken if the detained French diplomat was not released soon.

France has maintained that the detention is unjustified, stressing that embassy staff enjoy diplomatic immunity. Paris also dismissed Mali’s accusations of foreign destabilization as baseless, urging the immediate release of its employee.

The dispute comes amid mounting tensions between Mali’s ruling military council and Western powers. The junta, led by President Assimi Goïta, seized power through two coups in 2020 and 2021 and has since distanced itself from traditional partners such as France, choosing instead to strengthen political and military ties with Russia under the banner of national sovereignty.

Mali has been engulfed in instability since 2012, fueled by armed groups linked to al-Qaeda and ISIS, along with criminal networks. Last month, the military government claimed it had foiled a coup attempt, arresting dozens of soldiers.