Photo : REUTERS, Benoit Tessier, File Photo
NIAS Area Studies
AFRICA MONITOR
Photo : REUTERS, Benoit Tessier, File Photo
IN BRIEF
by Anu Maria Joseph
France’s last troops leave Mali, ends nine year deployment
On 16 August, France said its final troops of Operation Barkhane left Mali, ending a nine year bilateral military cooperation. The French military statement said: “Today at 1pm Paris time [11:00 GMT] the final contingent of the Barkhane forces still on Malian territory crossed the border between Mali and Niger”. On 15 August French Presidency said: “France remains engaged in the (wider) Sahel (region), in the Gulf of Guinea and the Lake Chad region with all partners committed to stability and to the fight against terrorism”. In 2013, France initially intervened in the country at request by Malian authorities under Operation Serval, to fight Tuareg separatists. The withdrawal comes after fallen relations between Paris and Bamako, which currently maintains close relations with Russia. (“Last French troops leave Mali, ending nine-year deployment,” Al Jazeera, 16 August 2022)
South Sudan: 80 civilians killed in ethnic violence
On 16 August, the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (Ocha) revealed that in July alone at least 80 civilians were killed in Eastern Equatoria state. Ethnic clashes in Kapoeta were the reasons behind the killings, though it is not clear what triggered the clashes. The Ocha says more than 17,500 people were displaced due to the violence. Rising food insecurity, inter-communal violence, conflict and disease outbreaks worsened the situation. (Nichola Mandil, “Over 80 killed in South Sudan recent ethnic violence,” BBC, 16 August 2022)
Kenya’s defeated Odinga rejects the elections calling “null and void”
On 16 August, Raila Odinga, major opponent to William Ruto who won Kenya’s presidential elections, rejected the election results saying the figures are “null and void”. He said: “What we saw yesterday was a travesty and a blatant disregard of the constitution of Kenya''. The enraged Odinga supporters turned the situation violent in many regions. Most of the businesses were closed in Kisumu region where Odinga has a stronghold. The new elected president William Ruto said: “I want to commit to the people of Kenya that I will build on the foundation that President Kenyatta and I put together and take this country to the next level”. (“Kenya’s defeated Odinga calls presidential election outcome a ‘travesty’,” France24, 16 August 2022, “Ruto's supporters celebrate disputed election results,” Africanews, 16 August 2022)