France-Mali: Breakdown of the Security Channel

On September 18, 2025, Paris ordered the expulsion of two Malian diplomats accused of “espionage,” giving them 48 hours to leave the country. At the same time, counterterrorism cooperation between the two nations was suspended.

Until now, despite political rupture, French and Malian intelligence services maintained an operational exchange channel. Its closure ends one of the last remaining avenues of dialogue.
This decision follows the arrest in Bamako, one month earlier, of a French diplomat accused of espionage and involvement in an “attempt to destabilize the Transition.”

The expulsion of Malian diplomats marks a new stage in the deterioration of bilateral relations.
The suspension of cooperation deprives Bamako of direct access to French surveillance capabilities in the Sahel, deepening its isolation and strengthening its dependence on alternative partners — foremost among them, Russia.