By Ryan Aliman
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa
BAMAKO, Mali – Malian rebel groups Ansar Dine and AQIM (al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb) have threatened France that its military intervention in Northern Mali could endanger the lives of its people.
They urged France to reconsider its military support to the Malian Army to avoid any harm to French hostages and other French citizens.
“There are consequences, not only for French hostages, but also for all French citizens, wherever they find themselves in the Muslim world,” said Sanda Ould Boumama, Ansar Dine’s spokesperson. “The hostages are facing death.”
AQIM posted a video online where its spokesperson, Abdallah Al-Chinguetti, gave a similar warning to France: “Stop your assault against us or you are digging your own sons’ graves.”
Since April last year, the Malian government had been asking for urgent military assistance from France to regain territories captured by several insurgent groups in the north. On Friday, French President Francois Hollande announced that France will help its former colony in west Africa. On the same day, France sent air strikes to Konna which allowed the Malian Army to drive the rebel convoy out of the city.
“Terrorists should know that France will always be there when the rights of a people – those of Mali who want to live freely and in a democracy – are threatened,” President Hollande said. According to him, the French military operation in Mali, named “Operation Serval”, would last “as long as necessary” mainly because “Mali’s very existence as a state was under threat” with insurgent groups trying to turn Mali into a “terrorist” state.
President Hollande added that the French military intervention complied with international law and had been agreed with by Malian interim President Dioncounda Traore.
Although Operation Serval had been successful in regaining control of several territories in a matter of days, it was not without casualties. A French pilot was killed on Friday when his helicopter was shot down near the town of Mopti. Hours later, a French hostage being held by extremist groups in Somalia was executed which further highlighted France’s conflict with such groups in Africa.
The French Foreign Ministry has since raised its security alert to red – the highest level, advising the 6,000 French citizens staying in Mali to leave the country. It has also extended the red alert on neighboring countries such as Mauritania and Niger.
Meanwhile, interim Malian President Traore declared a state of emergency on Friday. He also cancelled a long-planned official trip to Paris on Wednesday because of the ongoing conflict in his country.
For further information, please see:
BBC News – French soldier killed and hostage feared dead in Somalia – 12 January 2013
Huffington Post – France’s Mali Operation: Troops Make Progress Against Islamist Rebels – 12 January 2013
Reuters – France bombs Mali rebels, African States Ready Troops – 12 January 2013
Reuters – Mali intervention will put French citizens at risk: Islamists – 12 January 2013
RTE News – Over 100 rebels killed after French Air Strikes on Mali – 12 January 2013
Times Live – Mali war escalates with French intervention – 12 January 2013
RFI – Mali’s islamist Mujao group claims kidnapping of French citizen – 22 November 2012
