Bamako (Mali)
The French army left the city of Timbuktu in the African country of Mali on Tuesday night. French troops have evacuated a military base in the city of Timbuktu in northern Mali. Mali has been a colony of France and about nine years ago, France sent its army there to drive out Islamic extremists. Questions have been raised on this move of France and it is being said whether the Mali army itself is capable of stopping the extremists by taking action.

That too when the terrorists have strengthened themselves since the 2013 attack and expanded their reach in the southern region of the country. Amid this threat, the French military issued a statement on Tuesday night, claiming that Mali’s army “has a good hold in Timbuktu”. Apart from this, about 2200 UN peacekeepers are also permanently stationed there.

France deployed 5100 soldiers on its Mali mission
About nine years ago, France announced military intervention in Mali. Now French troops have handed over this major military base of Timbuktu to the Mali army. With this, now the military intervention of France in this West African country is going to end. France had deployed 5,100 soldiers on its Mali mission who were present in the Sahel region. During this, the local government and the very weak army there were helped so that they could counter the Islamic terrorists.

Thousands of people have been killed in attacks by Islamic terrorists. The French army liberated the city of Timbuktu from jihadists 8 years ago. During this, he was warmly welcomed by the local people on the streets. Yehia Tandaniya, a journalist from Timbuktu city, says, ‘When our city was liberated, people became emotional, women wept. The youth were shouting and I myself was overwhelmed. However, for the past few days, there was a growing protest in Mali against the French army. Terrorists were carrying out attacks, due to which sentiments were inciting against France here.