Exclusive-US nears deal to resume intelligence operations in Mali

FILE PHOTO: A supporter of Mali's M5-RFP opposition coalition, holds a poster of the colonel Assimi Goita during a rally to mark a year since the start of protest marches that contributed to the ouster of former President Ibrahim Boubakar Keita at the Independence Square in Bamako, Mali June 4, 2021. The poster reads "President Assimi Goita - the hope of Mali". REUTERS/Amadou Keita/File Photo

DAKAR, March 9 (Reuters) - The U.S. is nearing a deal with ⁠Mali that will allow Washington to resume flying aircraft and drones over the West African country's airspace to gather intelligence on jihadist groups linked to al Qaeda, according to one current U.S. ⁠officialand a former U.S. official.

Last month, Washington made the first move to implement the agreement by lifting sanctions targeting the defense minister and other senior officials who it said ‌had ties with Russian mercenaries, a key request by Mali's government, the sources said. The U.S. hopes this will lead Mali to grant the U.S. permission to fly intelligence-gathering missions over the country's vast terrain where jihadists have been gaining ground, according to the current and former U.S. officials.