French troops had been in Mali at the request of the then-government, however, since seizing power in 2020, Mali's military rulers have fallen out with France and have instead turned to Russia to help in their fight against Islamist insurgents who are wreaking havoc across much of the country.There are widespread and credible reports that Russia's Wagner group of mercenaries has been helping Mali, although this has never been officially acknowledged by either Russia or Mali.Both the British and French governments are trying to put a brave face on this dire situation, saying they will continue to monitor the region from nearby countries like Niger.But the truth is the West has lost the battle for hearts and minds in Mali and there is now a growing risk that the jihadists of the Islamic State group and al-Qaeda will exploit this situation to their own advantage.He praised the work of UK troops as "outstanding" but said following the UK's experience in Iraq "we are clear that the military instrument should not be deployed on counterinsurgency or countering violent extremism missions unless there is a clear and compelling commitment towards political progress.""