- 'Second family': tennis stars hunt winning formula with new coaches
- Philippines, South Korea agree to deepen maritime cooperation
- Mexico mayor murdered days after taking office
- Sardinia's sheep farmers battle bluetongue as climate warms
- Japan govt admits doctoring 'untidy' cabinet photo
- Israel marks first anniversary of Hamas's October 7 attack
- Darvish tames Ohtani as Padres thrash Dodgers
- Asian markets track Wall St rally on jobs data
- Family affair as LeBron, Bronny James make Lakers bow
- Cancer, cardiovascular drugs tipped for Nobel as prize week opens
- As Great Salt Lake dries, Utah Republicans pardon Trump climate skepticism
- Amazon activist warns of 'critical situation' ahead of UN forum
- Mourners pay tribute to latest victims of deadly Channel crossing
- Tunisia incumbent Saied set to win presidential vote: exit polls
- Phillies win thriller to level Mets series
- Yu bags first PGA Tour win with playoff win
- PSG held by Nice to leave Monaco clear at top of Ligue 1
- AC Milan fall at Fiorentina after De Gea's penalty heroics
- Lewandowski treble for leaders Barca as Atletico held
- Fresh Israeli strikes hit south Beirut
- Sucic stunner earns Real Sociedad draw against Atletico
- PSG draw with Nice, fail to reclaim top spot in Ligue 1
- Gudmundsson downs AC Milan after De Gea's penalty heroics for Fiorentina
- 'Yes' vote prevails in Kazakhstan nuclear plant vote: TV
- 'Difficult day': Oct 7 commemorations begin with festival memorial
- Commemorations begin for anniversary of attack on Israel
- Lewandowski hat-trick powers Liga leaders Barca to Alaves victory
- 'Nothing gets in way of team,' says Celtics' MVP hopeful Tatum
- India maintain Pakistan stranglehold as Windies cruise at Women's T20 World Cup
- 'We will win!': Mozambique's ruling party confident at final vote rally
- Tunisia voting ends as Saied eyes re-election with critics behind bars
- Florida braces for Milton, FEMA head slams 'dangerous' Helene misinformation
- Postecoglou slams 'unacceptable' Spurs after 'terrible' loss at Brighton
- Marmoush double denies Bayern outright Bundesliga top spot
- Rallies worldwide call for Gaza, Lebanon ceasefire
- Maresca hails Chelsea's 'fighting' spirit after draw with 10-man Forest
- New 'Joker' film, a dark musical, tops N.America box office
- Man Utd stalemate keeps Ten Hag in danger, Spurs rocked by Brighton
- Drowned by hurricane, remote N.Carolina towns now struggle for water
- Vikings hold off Jets in London to stay unbeaten
- Ahead of attack anniversary, Netanyahu says: 'We will win'
- West Indies cruise to T20 World Cup win over Scotland
- Arshdeep, Chakravarthy help India hammer Bangladesh in T20 opener
- Lewandowski's quickfire hat-trick powers Liga leaders Barca to Alaves victory
- Man Utd fire another blank in Aston Villa stalemate
- Lewandowski treble powers Liga leaders Barca to Alaves victory
- Russian activist killed on front line in Ukraine
- Openda strike briefly sends Leipzig top of Bundesliga
- Goal-shy Man Utd have to 'step up', says Ten Hag
- India bowl out Bangladesh for 127 in T20 opener
Mali asks France to pull out troops 'without delay'
Mali's army-led government asked France on Friday to withdraw its forces from the Sahel state "without delay", calling into question Paris' plans to pull out over several months.
A government spokesman added in a statement announced on public television that the results of France's nine-year military engagement in conflict-torn Mali were "not satisfactory".
On Thursday, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that he was withdrawing troops from Mali after a breakdown in relations with the nation's ruling military junta.
France first intervened in Mali in 2013 to combat a jihadist insurgency that emerged one year prior. It currently has thousands of troops stationed across the Sahel, with the majority in Mali.
However, relations between the two countries deteriorated sharply after Mali's army seized power in a coup in 2020, and later defied calls to restore civilian rule swiftly.
The French pullout after nearly a decade is also set to see the smaller European Takuba group of special forces, created in 2020, leave Mali.
Macron said the withdrawal would take place over four to six months.
Spokesman Colonel Abdoulaye Maiga called the prolonged French withdrawal a "flagrant violation" of accords between the two countries.
"In view of these repeated breaches of defence agreements, the government invites the French authorities to withdraw, without delay," he said.
Macron responded with a statement saying he would not compromise the safety of French soldiers and the withdrawal will take place take place "in orderly fashion".
The French withdrawal has raised questions about the possibility of a security vacuum in impoverished Mali, a vast and ethnically diverse nation of 21 million people.
- Dire relations -
Mali's call for a swift French military withdrawal caps months of escalating tensions with its former colonial master.
Relations first began to fray after Malian army officers led by Colonel Assimi Goita deposed elected president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita in August 2020.
The army then deposed the civilian leaders of a transitional government last year, in a second coup.
Mali's international partners -- including France and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) -- insisted that the junta stick to a pledge to stage elections in February 2022 and restore civilian rule.
But the junta floated plans to stay in power for up to five years.
The proposal prompted the 15-nation ECOWAS bloc to impose a trade embargo and shut its borders with Mali in January.
France followed by announcing a pullout on Thursday. However, Paris had already begun to scale back its deployment before relations nosedived.
It closed three bases in northern Mali this year, where the bulk of its anti-jihadist Barkhane force had been stationed.
- Wagner group -
As well as concerns over civilian rule in Mali, Paris has protested the junta's alleged use of Russia's Wagner private security firm.
The US and others say that hundreds of fighters from the controversial paramilitary group are in the country. However, the junta flatly denies the claim. AFP has been unable to independently verify the information.
Mali remains the epicentre of the Sahel-wide jihadist conflict, which has killed thousands of soldiers and civilians and displaced some two million people.
The conflict spread deeper into Mali, despite the presence of French troops, which has fed popular resentment of France's military intervention.
France and its allies have vowed to remain engaged in fighting terror in the Sahel despite leaving Mali.
P.Costa--AMWN