French President Francois Hollande declared on January 28 that Mali’s military forces, supported by nearly 3,000 French soldiers, are pushing north in an offensive against Islamist rebels.
Mali’s government says the joint force has regained control of the entire city of Timbuktu, a stronghold of the Islamists who seized northern Mali since last April. Hundreds of locals cheered and waved French and Malian flags to welcome the troops as they moved into Timbuktu, which had come under the harsh rule of Islamic law in the past 10 months.
Three days earlier, the French–led troops also retook Gao, the biggest town in northern Mali. This is the biggest victory for the French-led force since the operation to drive Islamist rebels out of north Mali began earlier this month.
Malian soldiers, some wearing French insignia, in Timbuktu
After announcing the victory, Hollande said that bringing long-term stability to Mali is France’s mission. But the success could be short-lived where terrorist groups often disappear to reappear. The Islamist extremists in Mali receive millions of US dollars in aid from trans-national human- or drug-trafficking organisations, which has helped them equip themselves with advanced weapons.
The country’s socio-economic situation is a major factor affecting Mali’s stability. Mali hasn’t had an official President since last March nor a Prime Minister since last December. Its armed forces are divided. The conditions have made it easier for extremists and terrorists to operate.
Geographically, Mali, one of the poorest African countries, is located in a huge desert with a scattered population. According to the UN, since the military operation began, 9,000 Malians have left the country to seek refuge, and 230,000 others are displaced.
Mali borders seven other nations, and its border security hasn’t been tightly controlled. The country is now on one of the busiest smuggling routes linking Africa and Europe.
It’s likely that the Islamic extremists will strongly rally in Mali. At the African Union summit in Ethiopia that ended on January 29, Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn said that the union decided to contribute US450 million to the multinational force in Mali.
Meanwhile, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said the UN is considering logistic proposals. He urged Mali’s administration to restore legislative order, adding that the UN is ready to assist Mali to reform its security and improve its governance capacity.
The African Alliance plans to organize a conference of sponsors in Ethiopia on February 1 to call for international support in finance and logistics for the military operations in Mali.
After two weeks of military intervention, France has attached its goal of controlling northern Mali but permanent stability in the country is far from being established.
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