With France expected to announce the withdrawal of troops from Mali on Thursday, Mali's transitional government will have a free hand to negotiate directly with jihadist groups affiliated with al Qaeda, a move strongly opposed by Paris.
After a French-led military intervention ousted jihadists who were taking control of northern Mali in 2013, French troops remained to provide support for anti-terrorist operations. But deteriorating relations with Mali's new military leaders, who seized power in a 2020 coup, have prompted France to reconsider its role in the country.
