Among them are the 49 soldiers detained in Mali, then released after months of negotiations between Lomé, Bamako and Abidjan. A ceremony which aimed, for the Ivorian authorities, to mark recognition of the commitment of these soldiers.
With our correspondent in Abidjan, Bineta Diagne
Nearly 850 soldiers, engaged over the past two years in Timbuktu, Mopti, Gao and Bamako are gathered around the Place d’Armes.
General Lassina Doumbia, the army chief of staff, is keen to motivate his troops: ” I know the difficulties that have been yours, to rub shoulders with danger on a daily basis, to fight a treacherous and unpredictable enemy. But this presence on Malian soil contributes to the defense of the front and to contributing to guaranteeing the security of our borders. »
After two weeks of retreat in Assinie, for a ” psychological rearmament », the 49 soldiers who had been detained in Mali, received the medal of the National Order.
On behalf of all the decorated soldiers, Colonel Eustache Kouassi evokes the periods of doubts crossed by the troops.
” This stay will have known many adventures, both in duration and in progress. In the end, it was 6 to 34 months of continuous stress but permanent determination. »
870 Ivorian soldiers are still on mission in Timbuktu and Mopti. They should return to Côte d’Ivoire by the end of August, without being replaced by other Ivorian soldiers.