Frances armed intervention to expel islamist fighters from northern mali in january 20 and the seizure of an. France was supposed to have a largely civilian role, not itself engaged in fighting and with no troops on the ground. Humanitarian intervention, the responsibility to protect, and. Pdf french intervention in mali and the rhetoric of secular. Eventually, malis hegemony would end in the xiv century due to the rise of new powers in the region, such as the songai, and the fula people visentini 2012. T he disclosure that one of two raf cargo planes offered to france in support of its intervention in mali has temporarily broken down aptly symbolises the. In 20, france launched operation serval to halt the southwards advance of islamist insurgents in mali. In part i, i analyze the three initial arguments used by france to justify this intervention on the basis of i united nations security council resolutions, ii. The mali war, northern mali conflict or mali civil war is a series of armed conflicts that started from january 2012 between the northern and southern parts of mali in africa. The strategic aim for the intervention in mali is the protection of the french interests security and economically. Humanitarian intervention, the responsibility to protect.
The position will be based in bamako with frequent travel to. Firstly, it provides an analysis of the events that led up to the dual crisis in the countrys northern and southern regions and to a new wave of armed conflict between government and rebel forces. France launched its military intervention in mali in january 20 with the mandate to stop an uprising of various militant groups in the north, threatening the stability and sovereignty of the. Jan 19, 20 stakes for france are high as hollande continues an intervention in mali. Care international au mali coordinateur urgence page 3 of 4 tor emergency coordinator mali, december, 2012 the coordinator post is a six 6 months position. A critical examination of the case of mali amir seyedfarshi lead article table of contents. This panel event is scheduled to assess the humanitarian consequences of conflict and intervention in mali and will feature speakers with specialisms on different aspects of the crisis. But the conflict in mali and the french intervention have wider implications not only for mali and its neighbours, but also for africa, the international community, and france s national security and strategic interests at home and. The french intervention in mali einternational relations. With mali in the grip of an unprecedented political crisis, one of the most serious since the landlocked west african country gained independence from france in 1960, we take a look at the main.
This article uses the french intervention in mali 20 to introduce the. Since 20, france has undertaken direct military intervention. The regional impact of the armed conflict and french. The roots of the conflict a weak state with a weak army unable to secure a huge country twice the size of france, landlocked mali is one of the poorest countries in the world. Jun 12, 20 abstract this practice note offers an account of frances military intervention in mali launched on 11 january 20. Operation serval followed the united nations security council resolution 2085 of december 20, 2012 and an official request by the. She also thanked france for its military intervention in mali. Frances military is all over africa business insider. France presses ahead with international operation in mali. The french war on al qaida in africa by christopher s. The aim of the operation was to oust islamic militants from the north of mali, who had begun a push into the center of mali.
France s military intervention has raised eyebrows, both in and outside france, for reasons which, interestingly, are opposite. French troops patrol in an armored vehicle in bangui, central african republic, december 6, 20. Although france is intervening wholeheartedly in mali, it may be the case that the country is, more broadly, trying to take more of a back seat in their former. France boosts barkhane force to 5,100 troops to further focus on maliburkina fasoniger triborder area. Pdf the french military intervention in mali, counter. Yet, while france basks in the angelic light of its saviour status, beneath the veneer of the present, lurk the demons of the past. Jan 23, 20 yun sun examines chinas response to france s intervention in mali, explaining that chinese policymakers and analysts fear that mali will turn into france s afghanistan, dragging the country. French intervention in mali and the rhetoric of secular ideology. Stigall and others published the french military intervention in mali, counterterrorism, and the law of armed conflict find, read and cite all the research you need. Jul 01, 20 now more than a month into their intervention in mali, french forces have successfully repelled armed jihadist groups and retaken northern cities french intervention in mali, 20. Pdf the french military intervention in mali, counterterrorism, and.
However, french president francois hollande cannot afford the type of military engagement his. Using a clausewitzian analytical framework, this article provides an assessment of frances political and military aims in mali and the degree to which they have been attained. David gressly began by providing an update on the humanitarian needs in mali. On 16 january 2012, several insurgent groups began fighting a campaign against the malian government for independence or greater autonomy for northern mali, an area of. Like in mali, france had to intervene at the last minute. But the conflict in mali and the french intervention have wider implications not only for mali and its neighbours, but also for africa, the international community, and frances national security and strategic interests at home and. The period can be extended according to the fund availability and the situation in mali. History of conflict and international intervention in libya 2 in the bloodless coup of 1969, mohammed idris was overthrown and moamar algaddafi became commander in chief of the armed forces, and the chairman of the revolutionary command council.
A history of conflict and international intervention in libya. This duty derives from the norm of the responsibility to protect. Five strategic failures of the french intervention in mali. Frances action in the sahel ministry for europe and.
France is to boost the number of troops deployed to its operation barkhane counterterrorism mission in the sahel to 5,100. This article argues instead that intervention entrepreneurs play a critical role in the political decisionmaking process of military interventions. The regional impact of the armed conflict and french intervention in. France is leading what will become a multinational intervention in the west african country in order to deny sanctuary and territory to jihadists. Abstract this practice note offers an account of frances military intervention in mali launched on 11 january 20. Lessons for an expeditionary army details, the french in serval demonstrated that they are adept at quickly fielding small yet highly capable forces tailored for specific needs and objectives and reiteratively task organizing as the situation evolves. Since the outset of the security crisis in the sahel, france has been strongly committed to curbing the terrorist threat.
Now more than a month into their intervention in mali, french forces have successfully repelled armed jihadist groups and retaken northern cities french intervention in mali, 20. In early 2012, tuareg rebels from the national movement for the liberation of azawad, a separatist movement mnla, seized strategic cities in malis northern territory. Crisis in mali congressional research service 1 overview and recent developments for the past year, mali has been mired in overlapping security, political, and humanitarian crises. In 1956, with the passing of frances fundamental law loi cadre, the territorial assembly obtained extensive powers over internal affairs and was permitted to form a cabinet with executive authority over matters within the assemblys competence. Bergamaschi, i 20 french military intervention in mali. Gaddafi quickly gained a reputation as being both unpredictable and aberrant. Fighting in mali is a protection for niger, chad, burkina faso and mauritius. Islamist rebels have brought northern mali under their control. The country threatens to become a retreat for terrorist, and thousands of people are on the run.
Now, nearly one year later, national, regional, and international actors have begun crisis management in earnest. Mali,s and islamist extremists subsequently imposed sharia law in the region. Operation serval was a french military operation in mali. France launched its second major african intervention in a year on friday as its troops rushed to the central african republics capital, bangui, to stem violence that already claimed over 100 lives this week. Activity summary overview mali is an exemplar of a complex crisis, involving a military coup, a separatist insurgency, an extremist insurgency involving terrorism, a weak state with a limited capacity to tackle corruption and organized crime, failed security sector reform, and. In this respect, france has understood the domino effect of the terrorist groups in mali.
Pdf this practice note offers an account of frances military intervention in mali launched on 11 january 20. Activity summary overview mali is an exemplar of a complex crisis, involving a military coup, a separatist insurgency, an extremist insurgency involving terrorism, a weak state with a limited capacity to tackle corruption and organized crime, failed security sector reform, and regional power struggles. According to diallo 2011, 36, during the period of occupation, africa. Well and comprehensively researched, using multiple interviews with key actors including a former president of mali and the french commanding general, the french war on al qaida in africa provides a compelling analytical narrative of the important french mission in mali since 20. After malis government was overthrown in a military coup in march 2012, insurgents. They have done so in part by pushing modularity below the battalion. In 2017, the g5 sahela regional grouping of mali, mauritania, niger, burkina faso, and chadlaunched a joint force to counter security threats. France has traditionally cultivated close relations to west african states and is now campaigning for an international intervention in mali. As the colony of french soudan, mali was administered with other french colonial territories as the federation of french west africa. Stigall and others published the french military intervention in mali, counterterrorism, and the law of armed conflict find, read. The crisis began in 2011 when drought developed into a chronic food crisis. Cest pourquoi elle mobilise 4000 hommes pour une intervention durgence. What began as a french military reaction to an islamic insurgency in mali in 2012 has now grown into a more permanent and crossborder counterterrorism effort by.
Pdf french intervention in mali and the rhetoric of. After mali s government was overthrown in a military coup in march 2012, insurgents. The european union eu has a multiyear program to train and restructure the malian military. A strategic analysis of the french intervention in mali, 20. The french military intervention in mali placed the country at the top of the international political agenda. Jan 14, 20 stratfor africa analyst mark schroeder discusses the launch of a frenchled effort to dislodge jihadists from northern mali. This led to food insecurity for four million people with an additional 175,000 children suffering from acute malnutrition. Frances intervention in mali after islamic extremists seized parts of mali, the countrys former colonial ruler, france, intervened with a ground and air offensive. It then examines the exit plan that sowed the seeds of longterm success. Operation serval followed the united nations security council resolution 2085 of december 20, 2012 and an official request by the malian interim government for french military assistance. Hollandes intervention in mali raises concerns the new. France has deployed some 4,000 troops to mali, alongside a regional african force, in a nineweek operation. African perspectives reports the french intervention in mali. This intervention, supported by malian troops, the ecowasled africanled internation al support mission to mali afisma forces and other.