the story begun in
2012 Malian coup d'état began on 21 March, when mutinying Malian soldiers, displeased with the management of the Tuareg rebellion, attacked several locations in the capital Bamako,
including the presidential palace, state television, and military
barracks. The soldiers, who said they had formed the National Committee
for the Restoration of Democracy and State,
declared the following day that they had overthrown the government of Amadou Toumani Touré, forcing him into hiding. The coup was followed by "unanimous" international condemnation, harsh sanctions by Mali's neighbors, and the swift loss of northern Mali to Tuareg forces,
On 6 April, the junta agreed with Economic Community of West African States
(ECOWAS) negotiators that they would step down from power in return for
the end of sanctions, giving power to a transitional government led by
parliament speaker Dioncounda Traoré. In the following days, both Touré and coup leader Amadou Sanogo formally resigned;
however, as of 16 May, the junta was still "widely thought to have maintained overall control".
An EU mission to train
Malian soldiers is due to begin as part of efforts to help the West
African country counter an Islamist insurgency.
The first of four Malian battalions will train under European
instructors at the Koulikoro base some 60km (37 miles) from the
capital, Bamako.
A French-led intervention that began in January has regained the main cities of northern Mali from Islamist groups.
However, fighting continues in the north.
Of the 550 troops from 22 EU nations sent to Mali, about 150
are trainers with the rest made up of mission support staff and force
protection.
France is the biggest contributor to the force with 207
troops, followed by Germany with 71, Spain with 54, Britain 40, the
Czech Republic 34, Belgium 25 and Poland 20.
Training takes place under the control of French Brigadier
General Francois Lecointre and is expected to continue for about 15
months.
"Objectively, it [the army] must be entirely rebuilt," said Gen Lecointre.
"The Malian authorities are well aware of the need to
reconstruct the army, very aware that Mali almost disappeared due to the
failings of the institution."
The first fully trained battalion of Malian troops is expected to be operational in July.
Islamist groups took advantage of a coup in March 2012 to
seize the vast north of Mali including major cities including Gao, Kidal
and Timbuktu.
They imposed a strict form of Islamic law in the area.
France intervened after saying the al-Qaeda-linked militants threatened to march on Bamako.
France is now preparing to withdraw its 4,000 troops fighting
in Mali, which will be replaced by forces from several West African
countries.
French President Francois Hollande said troop levels would be halved by July and reduced to about 1,000 by the end of the year.
The African force in Mali currently numbers about 6,300 soldiers.
