French military intervention in the Sahel: assessing the prospects of lasting security through the use of military force in Mali since 2013.
| dc.contributor.author | Simasiku, Ricky Simasiku | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2025-09-10T13:14:50Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2025-09-10T13:14:50Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2025 | |
| dc.description.abstract | In 2012 the northern based Tuareg rebels launched a rebellion against the Malian government in which they sought to establish an Azawad state in northern Mali. The Tuareg uprising was later joined by Islamists whose aim was to establish Sharia law in the country. As the Tuareg and Islamists advanced towards Bamako, the capital of Mali, the government requested the assistance of the French government help to repel the attacks and secure the territorial integrity of Mali. This research examines the French military involvement in Mali since 2013 when the country almost fell to jihadists, assessing the French military’s ability to help the Malian government to achieve lasting security for its people as it was one of the main reasons for the intervention. This study mainly focused on Mali’s security situation at the advent of the French military operation, throughout the intervention and comparing it to the insecurity observed by the time the French withdrew its forces. The central question to be investigated in this study is ‘what are the reasons for the lack of improved security in Mali since the French military intervention in 2013?’. At the initial stage of the operation, there was optimism and praise for the French forces but by the date of the withdrawal of French forces, Mali’s insecurity had increased, and the relief and optimism that was once held disappeared. The security situation in the whole country has worsened. The objective of the study is to explore the complexities around the conflict, mainly the historical root causes, and how they have contributed to the failure of the French forces in improving the security of Mali and to demonstrate the need to address the root causes of the conflict. | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://hdl.handle.net/10566/20882 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.publisher | University of the Western Cape | |
| dc.subject | Mali | |
| dc.subject | Military Intervention | |
| dc.subject | National Security | |
| dc.subject | French | |
| dc.subject | Structural realism | |
| dc.title | French military intervention in the Sahel: assessing the prospects of lasting security through the use of military force in Mali since 2013. | |
| dc.type | Thesis |