Mali Pardons French Embassy Official as 82 Soldiers Freed in Algeria-Mediated Deal

Mali pardoned a French embassy official alongside the August 14 release of 82 soldiers captured by al-Qaeda-linked JNIM and Tuareg-led FLA separatists during April attacks. Algeria mediated the deal. Mali expelled French forces in favor of Russian paramilitaries, yet the pardon links the FLA captives to Mali-France bilateral issues, signaling the negotiation involved more than one track.