France Advises Citizens to Evacuate Mali amid Escalating Tensions

France is telling its citizens to leave Mali temporarily "as soon as possible" after security conditions have gotten worse over the past several weeks. The French Foreign Ministry issued the warning Friday, joining the US and Britain in pulling back diplomatic staff as terrorist attacks increase across the West African nation.

The ministry's travel advisory was direct: French nationals should use commercial flights that are still available to leave the country. But they warned against traveling by road, saying national highways are now being targeted by terrorist groups. The message came after weeks of deteriorating security, even in the capital Bamako.

France has about 4,300 citizens registered with its consulate in Mali. Pascal Confavreux, the Foreign Ministry spokesman, said Thursday that protecting them is the top priority. The French embassy remains open with a charge d'affaires in charge, but the diplomatic team is watching the situation with "great interest and real concern."

This isn't just France being cautious. The US and Britain evacuated their "non-essential" embassy staff and families last week as the security situation got worse. When three major Western powers start pulling people out, it signals serious problems.

Mali has been dealing with a deep security crisis since 2012. Terrorist groups have been carrying out attacks across the country, and criminal organizations add another layer of instability. The violence has been getting more intense in recent days, which prompted this wave of evacuations.

The timing matters for regional stability. Mali sits in the Sahel region, where several countries are struggling with similar security challenges. When the situation deteriorates in one country, it often spills over to neighbors. France has military interests in the region and has been involved in counterterrorism operations there for years.

For now, France says all travel to Mali is not recommended, regardless of the reason. Commercial flights are still operating, but that could change if the security situation continues to worsen. The road networks that connect Mali to neighboring countries are essentially off-limits due to the terrorist threat.