PARIS, France, April 29(AFP): France on Wednesday urged its nationals in Mali to leave "as soon as possible", citing weekend attacks by jihadists and Tuareg separatists and an "extremely volatile" security situation.
"Travel to Mali is still strongly discouraged, regardless of the reason," the foreign ministry said in its updated travel guidelines.
"French nationals are advised to make arrangements to leave Mali temporarily as soon as possible on the commercial flights that are still available."
Meanwhile, a spokesman for Tuareg rebels said Russian forces must withdraw from "all of Mali" and the ruling junta will "fall sooner or later", after Islamist insurgents and separatists launched attacks destabilising the west African country.
Mali, France's former colony, has been plunged into an unprecedented security crisis after a Tuareg-dominated rebel alliance and jihadists at the weekend carried out coordinated attacks against the west African country's military leadership and its Russian paramilitary backers.
By joining forces, the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) coalition made up of Tuareg, Fulani, and Arab rebels and the al-Qaeda-linked Jihadist Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM) hope to drive out the ruling junta that came to power in a coup in 2020.
France calls its nationals to leave Mali
FE Team | Published: April 29, 2026 22:39:38
France calls its nationals to leave Mali
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