The Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) has vowed to topple Mali's ruling military junta and is calling for the permanent withdrawal of Russian forces from the country, according to a report by France 24.
Speaking in Paris, FLA spokesperson Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane stated on Wednesday that the current regime "will fall, sooner or later." The threat follows a weekend of coordinated attacks by Tuareg separatists and Islamist insurgents that destabilized several major cities across the West African nation.
Ramadane outlined a strategic plan for the rebel coalition to expand its control. Following the recent capture of the northern town of Kidal, the group now intends to seize Gao, Timbuktu, and Menaka.
Russian presence a target
The separatist group specifically targeted the presence of Russian military personnel in the region. Ramadane told AFP that the group's primary objective is for Russia to "withdraw permanently from Azawad and beyond, from all of Mali."
However, the spokesperson clarified that the group's hostility is not directed at foreign nations themselves. "We have no particular problem with Russia, nor with any other country. Our problem is with the regime that governs Bamako," Ramadane said.
In response to the weekend's violence, Mali's military leader, Assimi Goita, made his first public appearance on Tuesday. During a televised address, Goita promised to "neutralise" those responsible for the attacks.
The security situation has prompted international warnings. France has urged its citizens to leave Mali "as soon as possible," describing the current environment on the ground as "extremely volatile," according to France 24.
