The original content of Democracy Now! Headlines appears under the Creative
Commons BY-NC-ND 3.0 License (United States). For more, including their other
shows and media, visit www.democracynow.org.
February 21, 2022

Clashes on Malian Border Kill Dozens as France Announces Gradual Withdrawal
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mali's military says eight soldiers were killed, four remain missing,
and 14 others were injured, after clashes with armed groups near Mali's
borders with Burkina Faso and Niger on Friday. An estimated 57
unidentified fighters were also killed in the attacks. Meanwhile,
witnesses say about 40 civilians were killed in the area during recent
fighting between rival armed groups. On Friday, French President
Emmanuel Macron said French troops would gradually withdraw from Mali
over the next six months. Mali's military rulers have called on France
to withdraw "without delay." France deployed troops to its former colony
in 2013 after Tuareg rebels and groups with ties to al-Qaeda seized
control of two-thirds of Mali's territory.


.