There is a tense dispute between Mali and its key military partner France over reports Bamako could recruit Russian mercenaries as Paris reshapes its 5,000-strong counter-terrorism mission in the region. The point is that France is not the best suited to tell a country on the ground not to call on all its friends,' a protester said. 'It doesn't matter if France leaves or always stays. Because the transition for us today is the result of decades of mismanagement, misgovernance of our country and bad partnerships,' Mohamed Ousmane Mohamedoun, Member of the National Transition Council said. To remind the whole world that sovereignty belongs to the people and that those who have not understood this must get up to speed today. 'We are here for Mali, we are here to demonstrate our national sovereignty. Hundreds of protesters took to the streets of Bamako to demonstrate against the French military presence in Mali, calling for the total withdrawal of French troops from the country.
