Malian soldiers killed as France winds up operations

The Malian army (Fama) has reported that a militant strike in northern Mali's Gao region, where French Barkhane forces are winding down operations, has claimed the lives of four soldiers and two civilians.

According to a statement the army shared on social media, five militants were also slain when Fama successfully resisted the "complex and coordinated onslaught" on Tessit town on Sunday.

The operation happened as Barkhane forces were getting ready to leave Gao by closing down their last helicopter hangar at the end of August.

The French military issued a brief statement on Twitter on Sunday, stating that "the re-articulation outside the border of Mali continues."

Mali has broken off defense ties with important local and international players and is currently engaged in a standoff with UN soldiers, portending further deterioration of the security situation in the region.

The use of Russian Wagner mercenaries in the Sahel nation has made this situation worse.

Al-Sahel Qaeda's branch has threatened to blockade Bamako, the capital of Mali, and to intensify its attacks against the nation's military leaders in response to their presence.