UPDATE: Junta leader reappears to show he still holds power
According to recent reports, the following story has emerged from the international scene.
Assimi Goïta reappears. And it is to hammer home that he still has the reins of Mali, even if he admits that his power is under very strong pressure. The head of the junta thus affirmed Tuesday evening that the security situation in the country was “under control”, three days after unprecedented attacks carried out by armed groups against strategic positions of the junta and which left at least 23 dead. The leader spoke for the first time since these attacks by the jihadists of the JNIM allied with the Tuareg separatists of the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA), during an address to the nation on the ORTM, the channel public. After several days of absence and silence, he made his first public appearance on the same day. Goïta recognizes a situation of “extreme seriousness” “The enemy’s disastrous plan was foiled with the neutralization of a significant number of attackers,” declared the head of the junta. However, he recognized a situation of “extreme seriousness” and called on the population for a “national surge” and to “stand up against division and national fracture”. “Mali needs lucidity and not panic,” he insisted. The silence of the Malian leader had fueled speculation about his ability to stay in power, while his Minister of Defense, Sadio Camara, was killed during one of the attacks. He was considered the architect of the political and military rapprochement with Russia. The junta had expelled the French military in 2022. Support from Russia Earlier Tuesday, General Goïta received the Russian ambassador, according to the Malian presidency which published photos of the interview. Both parties discussed the current situation. The ambassador, Igor Gromyko, “reaffirmed his country’s commitment alongside Mali in the fight against terrorism”, assuring that Russia would “always be Mali’s friend”.Our articles on MaliIn a publication on social networks, the Russian Ministry of Defense however estimated that rebels and jihadists were regrouping and that the situation in Mali remained “difficult”. The ministry also confirmed that the Africa Corps – paramilitaries sent to support the Malian junta – had had to withdraw from the key town of Kidal (north), which armed groups seized last weekend. The Kremlin also said it wanted stability to return “as quickly as possible.” A sign that the situation remains very complicated for those in power, the United States embassy in Bamako wrote on Tuesday on its website that it had “taken note of reports of possible terrorist movements inside the city.” According to analysts, the strategic goal sought by the alliance between JNIM and FLA would not, however, be the seizure of power in Bamako, but the reconquest of the northern regions.
Analysis and Perspective:
Experts suggest this event marks a turning point that may influence policy decisions worldwide.
As the situation continues to evolve, analysts are closely watching for further developments.
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Source: This article was originally published in another language by 20Minutes – Actu Monde and has been translated and adapted for our global English-speaking audience. Read the original article here.