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Presidential pardon for French alleged spy Yann Vezilier
BBC • • world
Key Points:
- Yann Vezilier, a Frenchman sentenced to 20 years in Mali for allegedly plotting a coup, has been granted a presidential pardon and expelled from the country, according to the Malian government.
- Vezilier was accused of attempting to destabilize President Assimi Goïta's government on behalf of the French intelligence service, a claim France has denied as "unfounded."
- Mali has been facing a prolonged security crisis due to Islamist insurgencies since 2012, with ongoing militant attacks and political instability, including the 2021 coup led by Goïta.
- The Malian junta has dissolved all political parties and extended its transition period until 2030, delaying promised elections and consolidating military control.
- Mali, along with Niger and Burkina Faso, has sought Russian support to combat jihadist groups after severing ties with France, but security conditions have not significantly improved.
