Putin’s deal is simple but direct: he will stop the shelling of the beleaguered Ukrainian city of Mariupol only after they surrender to Russian forces. Putin Talks with French President Macron According to the Kremlin, the Russian strongman made this statement during an hour-long phone conversation with French President Emmanuel …

Mali’s army said Friday that it had killed 203 combatants in an operation in the center of Sahel state, an apparent uptick in violence in the conflict-torn country. The army said the March 23-31 military operation took place in Sahel’s Moura area, which it termed a “terrorist fiefdom.” Soldiers killed …

Mali’s junta-dominated government has taken delivery of combat helicopters from Russia to help its army fight a bloody jihadist insurgency, an AFP journalist saw. Defense Minister Sadio Camara late Wednesday formally received two helicopters, radar, and other equipment brought by a Russian transport plane to a military base at Bamako …