How do we react in Mali and on social networks after the revelations made Friday, April 22 by the French army on the staging of a mass grave in Gossi, in northern Mali? The French army affirms, aerial images in support, that Russian mercenaries from the Wagner Group accompanied the Malian soldiers in the base of Gossi, just returned by the Barkhane force which is in the process of leaving Mali, to the Armed Forces Malians.
The images that the French army released show white men, in fatigues, presented as Wagner mercenaries, burying bodies near the Gossi base, with the aim of making it appear that the French soldiers had left those corpses behind them.
A few hours later, a fake Twitter account, attributed to a Malian soldier, denounced the ” crime against the Malian people committed by the French “.The French army has therefore made public the images in its possession – exceptional fact – to counter this attempt at misinformation.
Many Twitter accounts attributed to Malians question Barkhane’s technological performance, which is more effective in attacking the Russian allies of the Malian army than the jihadists who terrorize the country. This argument, supposed to illustrate the implausibility of the revelations of the French army, is taken up repeatedly with, most often, a lot of virulence, even insults, as has been the case for several months vis-à-vis the French army, regularly accused of being in Mali to plunder its resources, divide the country or even keep its inhabitants dependent on France.
No public reaction among Malian politicians or civil society, at this stage, from any side whatsoever. It must be said that any speech on the national army, unless it is dithyrambic, has become very risky. As evidenced by the new procedure aimed at the opponent Oumar Mariko who hides to escape justice since he dared to denounce the allegations of abuses against the army.
” The elements published will not be enough to convince Malians of the French version », Analyzes a Malian researcher in Bamako, with reference to the authorities’ intensive propaganda, but also to the quality of the images and information distilled by the French army, likely to be contradicted.
” Everybody knows the French never burned those bodies », Estimates, meanwhile, a Malian journalist from the capital. ” It is a method imported into Mali by the Russians “, a reflection that this journalist would never dare to publish with his signature.
The Malian army reacted Friday evening in a press release, where it delivers its version of the facts.
Read also: Mass grave of Gossi: the Malian army delivers its version of the facts
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