France urges citizens to leave Mali immediately over worsening security

France has advised its citizens in Mali to leave the country as soon as possible following a fresh wave of attacks and a rapidly deteriorating security situation.

In updated travel guidance issued on Wednesday, the French government warned that conditions in Mali had become “extremely volatile” after recent attacks involving jihadist groups and Tuareg separatist fighters.

“Travel to Mali is still strongly discouraged, regardless of the reason,” France’s foreign ministry said.

It added that French nationals currently in Mali should make immediate arrangements to depart using available commercial flights.

“French nationals are advised to make arrangements to leave Mali temporarily as soon as possible on the commercial flights that are still available,” the ministry stated.

The advisory follows a series of violent incidents over the weekend, underscoring the deepening instability in the West African nation, where security challenges have continued to escalate.

Mali has battled insurgent violence for more than a decade, with jihadist groups linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State expanding their operations across the country and the wider Sahel region.

The renewed warning highlights growing international concern over the security environment in Mali, particularly for foreign nationals and diplomatic interests.