Mali Suspends French TV Channels Over “False Reporting”
Mali’s military government has taken LCI and TF1 off air, accusing the two French TV channels of spreading false information about an alleged fuel blockade by the al-Qaeda-linked JNIM group.
According to authorities, the broadcasters misled the public by reporting that JNIM has been blocking fuel supplies since September — a serious claim for a landlocked nation already facing security and economic pressures.
TF1 is one of France’s biggest commercial TV stations, while LCI serves as its major free-to-air news channel.
This move adds to the tense atmosphere in the Sahel, where Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso — all under military rule — say they’re focused on restoring security, even as relations with Western partners grow increasingly strained.
