Gunmen Attack Police Base In Mali 

Gunmen attacked a military police base early Tuesday in the Malian capital Bamako where gunfire and explosions were heard and the airport was closed, sources, witnesses and an AFP correspondent said. “This morning armed men attacked at least one military police base in Bamako. They have not been formally identified,” a police source told AFP on condition of anonymity. Volleys of gunfire interspersed with explosions began at around 5:00 am and black smoke could be seen rising from an area near the airport. “Bamako airport is temporarily closed due to events,” an airport official said without saying how long the closure would last. A witness said he and other worshippers were stuck in a mosque near the area during early morning prayers. The French high school Liberte announced it would remain closed “due to external events” and staff at the United Nations mission in Mali received a message urging them to “limit (their) movements until further notice”. Mali has been ruled by a military junta since back-to-back coups in 2020 and 2021. A number of armed rebel groups are active in the West African country — including separatists and jihadists linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group — but until now the capital has been spared. After the Malian coup, military juntas also seized power in neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger. Under junta leader Colonel Assimi Goita, Mali broke a long-standing alliance with European partners and former colonial power France, turning instead to Russia and its Wagner mercenary group for support. The military leaders have pledged to regain control of the entire country. Their offensive against rebels in the north has given rise to numerous allegations that the army and its Russian allies have committed abuses against civilians since 2022, charges they deny

24 Countries Seal Qualification For 2023 AFCON

All 24 countries that will trade tackles at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cote D’Ivoire have sealed qualification for the tournament. Five-time AFCON champions Cameroon on Tuesday spanked Burundi 3-O to complete the star-studded list of qualified teams. A breakdown of the qualified countries shows that 12 former AFCON champions, including three-time champions Nigeria will be on parade come January, 2024. Hosts, Cote d’Ivoire will be leading a strong West African contingent of 11 countries, including holders Senegal, Nigeria, Ghana, Guinea, Burkina Faso among others. Tanzania representing East Africa returns for a second finals after a brave showing in the qualifiers. The North Africans are represented by seven-time champions Egypt, World Cup semi-finalists Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria. Egypt will be looking for an eighth unprecedented title, having reached two of the last three finals in 2017 and at the 2021 edition. There will be no debutants in this edition, as the continent’s football power houses managed to maintain and seal qualification. The 2023 AFCON will take place from January 13 to February 11, 2024, after it was postponed from it’s original June, 2023 date. Full list of 24 qualified countries are: Algeria, Angola, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Cote d’Ivoire (Hosts) and DR Congo. Others are Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco and Mozambique, Others are Namibia, Nigeria, Senegal (Title Holders), South Africa, Tanzania, Tunisia and Zambia.

Without France there’d be no Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger – Macron

French President, Emmanuel Macron has said that France has played an important role in the survival of African countries Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger. According to Macron, “Without France’s military operations in the Sahel there would probably no longer be a Mali or Burkina Faso, and I’m not sure there would still be Niger”, French President Emmanuel Macron told French publication Le Point. Macron is referring to the former colonial power’s interventions in the mid-2000s, Operations Serval and Barkhane. French troops were moved from Mali to Niger after its military leaders cut ties with the former colonial power. He said the interventions were done “at the request of African states” and were “successful” as his policy is facing scrutiny in the face of losing the allyship of last remaining ally, Niger, and increasing negative sentiment from Africans. He went on to explain that while these operations reflect France’s “honour” and “responsibility”, France could no longer remain involved “when there is a coup d’état, and the priority of the new regimes is not to fight terrorism” even though this is “tragic for the states concerned”. In the interview, Macron defended his administration’s policy in the Sahel as one of partnership rather than focusing on security. France refuses to acknowledge coup leader General Abdurahman Tchiani’s announcement that all military deals between Niger and France are terminated, and more than a thousand French troops remain stationed at a military base there. 

2023 AFCON: Thrilling weekend sees 14 nations book tickets

*Ten places still up for grabs The thrilling weekend of TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Cote d’Ivoire 2023 Qualifiers saw more African football giants’ countries book their place in the continent’s biggest event set to take place between 13 January and 11 February 2024. The qualification of most of the former African champions this past weekend is again another indication that the upcoming TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Cote d’Ivoire 2023 is likely to be one of the most successful events in the competition’s history. There are still qualifier matches to be played on Tuesday as part of the Match Day Five fixture block. Zambia produced possibly the weekend’s most polished performance in front of their home fans in Ndola to secure an emphatic 3-0 victory against tournament hosts and former African champions, Cote d’Ivoire. The results ensured that ‘Chilopopolo’, crowned champions in Gabon 2012, will return to Africa’s most-watched sports event after an eight-year absence. The week of the qualifiers started on a high note for another giant of African football, Egypt. The record-winners of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations confirmed their place in next year’s tournament following a 2-1 victory over Guinea in Marrakech on Wednesday. In another match, a stoppage-time goal was enough for Equatorial Guinea, who beat Tunisia 1-0 on Saturday to secure their ticket for the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations for the second time in a row and a third appearance. On Sunday, Cape Verde recorded an emphatic 3-1 victory over Burkina Faso to confirm their spot for Cote d’Ivoire. Two second-half goals ensured Mali triumphed with a 2-0 win against Congo at the Stade Alphonse Massamba-Debat in Brazzaville to cement their place for the AFCON finals early next year. Nigeria left it very late after a last-gasp winning goal saw them claim a 3-2 victory against Sierra Leone in Monrovia to add their name to the qualified nations for next year’s tournament. Nigeria’s win over Sierra Leone also confirmed Guinea Bissau’s fourth straight qualification for the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations, having won their match against São Tomé and Príncipe by a 1-0 score line on Wednesday. Hosts Cote d’Ivoire, African champions Senegal, FIFA World Cup semi-finalists Morocco, former Champions Tunisia, Algeria, South Africa and the ever-impressive Burkina Faso all booked their places in March 2023. The last round of qualifiers will be in September 2023. The TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Cote d’Ivoire 2023 will kick off on 13 January 2024 and run until 11 February 2024. The event will take place in six different venues: Stade Olympique Alassane Ouattara (56,000 seats) and Stade Felix Houphouet Boigny (28,000 seats), located in Abidjan. The remaining venues are Stade de Korhogo (20,000 seats), Stade de San Pedro (20,000 seats), Stade de Yamoussoukro (20,000 seats), and Stade de la Paix de Bouake (40,000 seats). Qualified Teams