New friends: Mali turns to Russia

新朋友：马里向俄罗斯求助

On Thursday Sergei Lavrov, Russia’s foreign minister, will meet Abdoulaye Diop, his Malian counterpart in Moscow.

周四，俄罗斯外交部长Sergei Lavrov将在莫斯科会见马里外交部长Abdoulaye Diop。

Mali is reportedly close to recruiting Wagner Group, a controversial Russian mercenary outfit, to fight its jihadist insurgency.

据报道，马里即将雇佣瓦格纳集团（瓦格纳集团是备受争议的俄罗斯雇佣军机构）打击圣战分子叛乱。

Deaths in the country resulting from the conflict have risen from about 430 in 2015 to more than 2,800 last year.

2015年这场叛乱导致大约430人丧生，而去年致死人数上涨到了2800多人。

The possibility of Russian involvement was first reported after France—which has about 5,000 troops in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger fighting jihadists—said it would close several bases in northern Mali and eventually halve its operation.

继法国之后，首次报道了俄罗斯参与圣战的可能性。法国在布基纳法索、马里和尼日尔部署了5000军队与圣战分子对抗，并声称将关闭在马里北部的几个基地，最终将军事行动减半。

（图源：半岛官网报道）

Yet the prospect of Russian mercenary involvement has angered France.

俄罗斯雇佣军却即将参与圣战，这激怒了法国。

Its relationship with Mali had already soured after soldiers there staged a second coup within 12 months in May.

今年5月，圣战分子在一年内发动了第二次政变，此后，法国和马里的关系就已经恶化。

（图源：FRI-7月3日报道）

The putschists had promised to hold elections in February next year but this week abandoned that timeline.

政变者承诺明年2月将举行选举，但这周却取消了选举日程。

For long-suffering Malians, there is little relief in sight.

长期饱受苦难的马里人民几乎看不到战争缓解的希望。

圣战分子也就是恐怖分子。通俗讲，法国和俄罗斯都是马里的大哥，法国是大哥1号，俄罗斯是大哥2号。小弟有难，要找大哥求助。一直以来都是大哥1号罩着马里，但是由于5月的第二次政变，大哥1号已经对马里失望了，准备撤军，让马里自己收拾烂摊子。于是小弟向大哥2号求助，并且大哥2号有意向伸出援手。这时候大哥1号面子挂不住，于是怒了。至于大哥2号会不会真的揽下这个摊子，还有待观察。不管怎么样，马里人民的日子都不好过。