Many newspapers return this Wednesday morning to the departure on Monday of the last French soldiers of Operation Barkhane in Mali and take stock of these nine years of military presence, first praised then shouted down.
For The crossit is clear: the balance sheet is “ poor : in 9 years of presence, the French contingent has not eradicated terrorism nor stabilized the country, notes the Catholic daily. The situation is even worse for the population. And Paris was ousted from its status as a major partner by the officers putschists in power, who prefer Moscow to him. France showed an excess of confidence, continues The cross, in its ability to stem the deep and lasting crisis that Mali is going through. To shorten it : You don’t put out a fire with a glass of water. The challenges were too broad. Concentrated on their combat mission, Barkhane’s 5,000 men could not provide an answer to the strong economic, social, climatic and ethnic tensions that are fragmenting society. “.
However, temper The cross“ this failure should not lead to the abandonment of the Malian people, linked to France by countless family and cultural ties. The solutions to the difficulties it faces require endurance, solidarity, transnational cooperation, and increased support from the international community. The current authorities are certainly sinking into a logic of isolation. But we must already prepare, with the countries of the region, the moment when they will want to break the impasse, or will have to give way “.
Black hole…
For Le FigaroBarkhane’s record is not very good either… France scored punctual points, temporarily securing various portions of vast Mali and eliminating leaders as soon as they were replaced. But it has not prevented the proliferation of jihadists, two coups since 2020 and the arrival of the group of Russian mercenaries Wagner, which accelerated its eviction through misinformation and commercial collusion with a junta encouraged in its excesses. . Thereby, sigh Le Figaro, we have lost 59 soldiers and spent a billion euros a year to finally leave behind us a black hole, where the same perils – terrorism and immigration – threaten us more than ever. »
The fall of Bamako?
” Leaving through the back door exclaims South West on the front page. ” The open crisis with Mali has at least the merit of forcing Paris to revise its African policy. The objective of helping the States of the zone to combat armed jihadism remains valid. But it is clear that the interventionism of the beginning, even tempered by the creation of the G5 Sahel and the joint work with the local armies, failed, valued South West. Or did, in any case, only delay the spread of terrorism. »
And the newspaper wonders: a year after the American withdrawal from Afghanistan, which allowed the return of the Taliban to Kabul, does the French departure from Mali foreshadow the fall of Bamako? ? We will see if the regime of Malian colonels, hard shaken by the jihadist attacks despite the support of its new Russian allies of the Wagner militia, will be able to prevent it. “.
Wagner now on the front line…
Exactly, ” what are Wagner’s Russian mercenaries doing in Mali ? », wonders The Parisian. ” Bamako denies their presence, citing only “instructors” from Russia to support its army. While Moscow speaks of a “commercial” contract between Wagner and Mali which would not concern Russia. How many are they ? No official figure can be advanced. Emmanuel Macron, however, mentioned last February the presence of around 800 mercenaries, who came “with predatory purposes”, he said. »
What are their missions? ” Generally, as soon as the French soldiers leave a base, Wagner replaces them in stride with the FAMa, the Malian Armed Forces “, tells the Parisian Mathieu Pellerin, Sahel analyst for the International Crisis Group. ” The Malian army has indeed intensified its anti-jihadist operations for several months, relying on Wagner. During these clashes, Russian mercenaries are on the front line. They fight daily alongside the FAMa “, observes the researcher, who recognizes that the presence of the paramilitaries allowed “ a remobilization of the Malian army “.
However, specify The Parisian“ this increased armed presence has not made it possible to improve the security context. Already the epicenter of conflict in the Sahel since 2012, Mali has seen war escalate and jihadist expansion accelerate. Attacks have increased to the south in recent months, including around Bamako. And Wagner’s operations are not always successful. Worse, the group is accused of numerous abuses against civilians “.