France says Mali’s arrest of the embassy worker on charges of the coup is “baseless” | Military news

The arrest of Yann Vezilier, accused of trying to destabilize financial stability, represents a new decrease in relations between Paris and Bamako.

The Ministry of France told Europe and Foreign Affairs that a French man was recently arrested in Mali on charges of “unfounded” in a coup fee that was an employee of the French embassy.

The Foreign Ministry said on Saturday that he is holding talks with Bamako “to clarify any misunderstanding” and obtain “immediate release” Yan VizelierWho have been arrested in recent weeks alongside two generals and other military personnel.

He added that the arrest of the French citizen was violating the Vienna Conference for Diplomatic Relations.

The Minister of Security in Mali, General David Ali Mohamed, announced the arrest of Vizelier on Thursday, claiming that he was working in French intelligence services, as he mobilized “political leaders, civil society representatives, and military personnel” to destabilize the country.

Mohamed said that the full investigation into the alleged plot, which he said was launched on August 1, was underway and that “the situation is completely under control.”

The arrests followed a campaign against the opposition after a supporter of democracy in May, the first since the military government reached power after successive coups in 2020 and 2021.

France’s relationship with its former colony has been strained in the SAHEL region in West Africa since the soldiers have seized power nearly four years ago.

The military government, under the leadership of President Ameme Joita, moved away from Western partners, especially the former colonial authority France, expelled its forces and moved to Russia for security assistance.

Since then, the country has been seized by a security crisis since 2012, which is fueled by violence from groups belonging to al -Qaeda Group and ISIS (ISIS) group, as well as local criminal gangs.

In June, Goita was awarded for an additional five years of power, despite the promises of the previous military government to return to civil rule by March 2024. This step followed the army’s dissolution of political parties in May.