In Mali, Abdel Kader Maïga, a close associate and advisor to Prime Minister Choguel Maïga, was sentenced yesterday, Monday, to 2 years in prison, 1 of which was unsuspended.

He was found guilty of public insults and defamation following remarks made against members of the M5 movement of the Prime Minister and senior army officers.

He was arrested last March following the broadcast of a video on social networks in which he accused certain M5 leaders and military personnel of destabilizing Prime Minister Choguel Maiga.

Meanwhile, the armed forces said it has neutralized Abou Houzeifa, also known as Hugo – an international terrorist leader during a large-scale operation in the northern region of Gao.

The United States had placed a 55 million bounty on his head because of his involvement in the attack that led to the death of American soldiers in Niger in 2017.