00:00France is urging all its citizens in Mali to leave the country as soon as possible
00:05following the coordinated attacks over the weekend that struck several cities,
00:10including the capital Bamako. In an update travel advisory on Wednesday, the French foreign minister
00:16warns that the security situation remains extremely volatile. Pending their departure,
00:22French nationals are advised to stay at home, limit movement, follow instructions from local
00:28authorities and keep relatives informed. Paris has now strongly discouraged all travel to Mali.
00:35The alert comes after West Africa's Al-Qaeda affiliate and Tuareg-dominated separatist group
00:41targeted Mali's main army base and the area near Bamako's airport, while also pushing Russian forces
00:49supporting the government out of the strategic northern town of Kidal. France says around 4,200
00:56of its citizens are registered with a consulate in Mali, with an estimated 3,000 more unregistered,
01:03most of them dual nationals living in Bamako. Meanwhile, Mali military leader has vowed to
01:09neutralize those behind the attacks as tensions continue to rise across the country.
01:15the
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