In early 2013 the Islamist militants started a war with the country of Mali, in Western Africa. The Islamist militants wanted to invade Mali so they could have control over Mali and the government. The Mali military lack skills for combat in war. The Malian military also doesn't have enough troops to fight alone so they need troops from France to help fight. The French decided to help the Malian Military. One of the towns that French helped fight in was Timbuktu.
Timbuktu feared that French troops would withdraw from Mali. Since the war in Mali started the military has needed help defending themselves, after a battle between the Malian soldiers and a group of Islamist militants. ""We asked the French to come and help us," said Colonel Seydou Kone, the commanding officer." (Fessey-T, April 8, 2013). When the French troops finally helped the Malian soldiers they won the battle and Colonel Kone said, "It is fair to say that we couldn't have made it without the French."(Fessey-T, April 8, 2013). After the battle was won the French troops said they were leaving. Colonel Kone did not want the French troops to leave in fear that Timbuktu would be attacked again.
When the French troops left Timbuktu the residents feared that they were going to be attacked. The streets were abandoned, people didn't leave their houses and people were even scared to open their windows. The French decided to leave 1,000 troops in Mali and bring home 4,000 because of this Mali feared they would lose the battles that they would have to fight in the future.
As of February 19, 2014 France and Germany said they will send in troops to help Mali. The French and German soldiers have been training men in Mali to become Malian soldiers to fight. France and Germany think that they need to send in more troops so Mali can become stronger.
Sources:
Fessy, T. (2013, April 08). Timbuktu fears French troops withdrawal from Mali. Retrieved from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-22061222