• What is happening in central Mali

    ?

For several weeks, the Malian armed forces (FAMa) supported by Russian elements have been trying to carry out a "rise in power" in central Mali.

The idea is to put pressure on the jihadists of the Support Group for Islam and Muslims (GSIM, also called Jnim) and its Katiba Macina in particular.

The goal is also to put the French in difficulty to show that the Russians are helping in these operations.

Except that these military operations do not face fierce resistance from the jihadists, who were until the beginning of March gauging the new forces present.

Then there was, in early March, the attack on a Malian military base in Mondoro, in the center of the country, where at least 40 Malian soldiers died and 33 others were injured.

This was claimed by the Jnim as revenge for the Dogofry massacre, where more than 30 bodies were found charred.

  • Why did the FAMa go to Moura

    ?

The village of Moura was targeted.

According to Wassim Nasr, specialist in jihadist movements at France 24, "the Malians were able to arrest a person from the first family circle of Mohamad Kouffa (number 2 of the Jnim)".

And according to indications probably extracted under duress, the presence of Mohamad Kouffa was reported in the area, which led to the triggering of a large-scale FAMa operation with the presence of 100 Russian elements.

The operation began on March 27 around 11 a.m. during a traditional livestock market in Moura and ended on March 31 at noon.

"Five days of military operations is not a blunder but abuses," said Wassim Nasr.

"There were clashes in the streets of the village, all the locals returned to their homes and the FAMa went to look for them in their homes for several days."

In addition, two important people were arrested and transferred by helicopter by the FAMa, including probably one of Mohamad Kouffa's lieutenants.

"The village of Moura has been under jihadist control for several years", continues Wassim Nasr, "but this does not justify all that followed over several days and which was supported by several testimonies".

Malian soldiers associated with suspected Russian foreign fighters summarily executed 300 civilians, some of whom they suspected of being jihadists, the NGO Human Rights Watch said in a report published on Tuesday.

  • Why did the Minusma and the Barkhane force not intervene

    ?

For a simple reason: the Malian general staff imposed a no-fly zone several months ago (illustrated below from information obtained by France 24) on Minusma and the French armed forces.

Thus, the latter cannot intervene urgently when something happens.

The no-fly zone imposed on the Minusma by Mali.

© France 24

The Minusma was able to make only one reconnaissance flight over Moura, during the weekend of April 2-3, after having made a request - without success for the moment - to be able to make a investigation.

The Barkhane force, meanwhile, cannot intervene, even if there are abuses, against the FAMa.

Even before the diplomatic tensions between Paris and Bamako, the center of Mali was avoided by Barkhane (because of interethnic problems, the presence of several factions) so as not to find themselves in situations of blunders or errors.

In the current French electoral context, Barkhane remains a spectator, except in the case of a few targeted operations such as in the border area of ​​Niger or to eliminate jihadist leaders or commanders.

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