IS claims Mali attacks that killed 50, including French soldier

[Vergennes]

The Islamic State armed group has claimed responsibility for two attacks in north-eastern Mali near Menaka region. The first raid on a military base on Friday killed 49 Malian soldiers, with a French soldier killed the following day by a roadside bomb.

Corporal Ronan Pointeau died near Menaka in eastern Mali following "the detonation of an improvised explosive device as his armoured vehicle drove by," the statement said.

President Emmanuel Macron paid tribute to Pointeau's "sacrifice" and said his thoughts were with the soldier's colleagues and "his Sahelian brothers in arms, who are paying a heavy price in the fight against terrorism."

The Sahel region is the scene of repeated clashes between jihadists and local forces backed by troops from Western countries.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack late on Saturday. IS group fighters "detonated an explosive device on a French army convoy in the Indelimane area", it said on its Telegram channel.

The group also claimed responsibility for Friday’s attack on a Malian army base in the same region that killed 49 troops. "Soldiers of the caliphate attacked a military base where elements of the apostate Malian army were stationed in the village of Indelimane," said the IS group statement. The Malian government initially said more than 50 soldiers were killed in what it called a "terrorist attack".

Regional, French, UN troops in increasingly violent region

The attacks have underscored the deteriorating security situation in the Sahel despite the presence of French troops and Macron’s continued support for counterinsurgency operations in the scrubland region between the Sahara and the African savanna.

Mali, Mauritania, Chad, Niger and Burkina Faso are part of the G5 Sahel security alliance that has struggled to contain the violence in the impoverished border region. The much-trumpeted initiative has a joint 5,000-man anti-terror force, helped by former colonial ruler France.

In addition to French troops, the UN has around 15,000 troops, including under MINUSMA, the UN mission in Mali.

French Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly on Saturday said she would be "visiting Mali very soon to hold discussions with Malian authorities."

http://en.rfi.fr/africa/20191103-is...cks-killed-50-including-french-soldier-menaka

 

[Vergennes]

May Ronan Pointeau may Rest In Peace as well as the Malian soldiers.

The situation in the region is very worrying,especially in Mali and Burkina Faso.

The armies of those countries are celarly unable to face the threat posed by the terror groups of the region. Over the past few weeks several Malian army outposts were literally overrun by terrorists resulting in the loss of several (!) companies,with hundreds of killed and much more wounded.

Malian soldiers didn't "expect" an attack in the sunrise early in the morning.. Yes,that's the f*cking modus operandi of those terrorists since 2012 in Mali,but they are acting shocked. That's total negligeance and we see the results. Coordination and communication with French troops is almost non-existant. Same is happening in Burkina Faso. Those countries would probably collapse in few weeks despite France's limited means in the region to support these countries. (4,500 soldiers over an area equivalent to Europe's size)

 

[Wow]

What the hell is France doing in Mali?

 

[maximuswarrior]

Another colony of the French.

They have robbed and exploited African nations as if they own their lives and belongings.

I meet many African students from former French colonies. Not a single praise. France would today not be half the country without African resources.

 

[Vergennes]

What the hell is France doing in Mali?

France is there at the request of the countries of the region who asked for military assistance.

Another colony of the French.

They have robbed and exploited African nations as if they own their lives and belongings.

I meet many African students from former French colonies. Not a single praise. France would today not be half the country without African resources.

Those former colonies would become a super jihadist state if it wasn't for the even small French armed forces presence.

 

[maximuswarrior]

France is there at the request of the countries of the region who asked for military assistance.



Those former colonies would become a super jihadist state if it wasn't for the even small French armed forces presence.

You don't belong there. Did not belong there in the past and do not belong there now.

These African nations never invited France to rape and plunder their respective nations. You are only in Africa to plunder their natural wealth. Nothing more nothing less.

 

[Vergennes]

You don't brlong there. Did not belong there in the past and do not belong there now.

These African nations never invited France to rape and plunder their respective nations.

I'll pass your valuable message to the French government,thank you very much!

You can argue about France's role or presence in Africa but I'll just focus on the military view.

 

[maximuswarrior]

I'll pass your valuable message to the French government,thank you very much!

You can argue about France's role or presence in Africa but I'll just focus on the military view.

Militarily you are only in Africa to safeguard your interests. You are not there to protect the African people.

You need to get out of Africa. Pass that message on to Macron. You don't belong there.

 

[HRK]

You don't belong there. Did not belong there in the past and do not belong there now.

These African nations never invited France to rape and plunder their respective nations. You are only in Africa to plunder their natural wealth. Nothing more nothing less.

presence of IS is more concerning than presence of French forces .... and attack by IS deserve condemnation by everyone .....

and who are we to object on this when governments of respective countries requested the assistance from France .....

May all the decease of this attack rest in peace

 

[Vergennes]

Militarily you are only in Africa to safeguard your interests. You are not there to protect the African people.

You need to get out of Africa. Pass that message on to Macron. You don't belong there.

Primarly it was there to stop and repel the terrorists advance in Mali,then was asked for assistance by the countries of the region due to the spread of the threat,with their armies unable to control such large territories and effectively face the terror groups which are spreading havoc in the Sahel.

Yes,every country acts for its interests,don't act like only France does it,Russia does it,the US does it,every other countries do that. As for what interests France has in the region,the direct (economic) interests it has is the uranium in Niger,extracted by Areva.

As for Mali I fail to see the reasons. The Malian soil might be rich in ressources (alleged) but remains largely unexploited. The only valuable ressource Mali is exporting is gold,largely exploited in the south of the country in questionable and suspicious ways. Uranium. Alleged. A Canadian company explored the soils,no more. Interests in the country are seriously limited.

 

[maximuswarrior]

Primarly it was there to stop and repel the terrorists advance in Mali,then was asked for assistance by the countries of the region due to the spread of the threat,with their armies unable to control such large territories and effectively face the terror groups which are spreading havoc in the Sahel.

Yes,every country acts for its interests,don't act like only France does it,Russia does it,the US does it,every other countries do that. As for what interests France has in the region,the direct (economic) interests it has is the uranium in Niger,extracted by Areva.

As for Mali I fail to see the reasons. The Malian soil might be rich in ressources (alleged) but remains largely unexploited. The only valuable ressource Mali is exporting is gold,largely exploited in the south of the country in questionable and suspicious ways. Uranium. Alleged. A Canadian company explored the soils,no more. Interests in the country are seriously limited.

French history in Africa is like an open book. The French colonised Africa and plundered the resources. Till this day the French take colonial tax from many African nations. It is a daylight robbery.

Russia doesn't have a colonial past in Africa. Mostly European countries have a colonial past. There is a stark difference between Russia engaging in African nations as opposed to France who has a colonial past. France deals with African nations as a colonising power. Russia does not.

 

[Vergennes]

French history in Africa is like an open book. The French colonised Africa and plundered the resources. Till this day the French take colonial tax from many African nations. It is a daylight robbery.

Russia doesn't have any colonial past. Mostly European countries have a colonial past. There is a stark difference between Russia engaging in African nations as opposed to France who has a colonial past.

France doesn't collect any taxes from its former colonies,but if you want to believe fairy tales written by dubious writers on websites nobody has ever heard about,that's your right. You remind me of a member who was called clutch whatever who,despite debunking this claim,kept on spamming the same articles as if it'll make them any truer,lol.

So do you have any proofs of France stealing Africa's ressources or not ? You claim we are there for Mali's ressources,showed you economic interests in the country are totally inexistant,with their alleged ressources unexploited,but that we do have interests in Niger,that's it. What do you have to add to the debate a part "muh u steel ressoursseez".

 

[Wow]

France is there at the request of the countries of the region who asked for military assistance.

not countries but the dictators who rule them

 

[Pakhtoon yum]

What the hell is France doing in Mali?

French colonialism is still live and kicking. Look at how racist the French are and that will answer you quation.

#freemali

not countries but the dictators who rule them

And steal raw resources

May Ronan Pointeau may Rest In Peace as well as the Malian soldiers.

View attachment 587529

The situation in the region is very worrying,especially in Mali and Burkina Faso.

The armies of those countries are celarly unable to face the threat posed by the terror groups of the region. Over the past few weeks several Malian army outposts were literally overrun by terrorists resulting in the loss of several (!) companies,with hundreds of killed and much more wounded.

Malian soldiers didn't "expect" an attack in the sunrise early in the morning.. Yes,that's the f*cking modus operandi of those terrorists since 2012 in Mali,but they are acting shocked. That's total negligeance and we see the results. Coordination and communication with French troops is almost non-existant. Same is happening in Burkina Faso. Those countries would probably collapse in few weeks despite France's limited means in the region to support these countries. (4,500 soldiers over an area equivalent to Europe's size)

View attachment 587530

Colonists do not rest in peace.

 

[maximuswarrior]

France doesn't collect any taxes from its former colonies,but if you want to believe fairy tales written by dubious writers on websites nobody has ever heard about,that's your right. You remind me of a member who was called clutch whatever who,despite debunking this claim,kept on spamming the same articles as if it'll make them any truer,lol.

So do you have any proofs of France stealing Africa's ressources or not ? You claim we are there for Mali's ressources,showed you economic interests in the country are totally inexistant,with their alleged ressources unexploited,but that we do have interests in Niger,that's it. What do you have to add to the debate a part "muh u steel ressoursseez".

It is a well documented fact that France leeches hundreds of billions anually from many African nations. France holds these African nations hostage. Your denial doesn't change the facts whatsoever.

LOL I don't need to provide any facts regarding France plundering African resources. Your nation colonised African nations to exploit them both physically and in a materialistic sense. Another undisputed and well documented fact. Denying these facts is not making you look smart.