Shocker: Egyptian president condemns French military intervention in Mali

In a move that threatens to strain ties between Egypt and France, Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi said Monday he was against the French military intervention in Mali, saying it could create further unrest in the region.

Egypt’s President Mohammed Morsi has broken ranks with the international community at large over France’s intervention in Mali, saying he was opposed to the action out of fear it would sow seeds of unrest in the region.

Speaking at the opening session of an Arab economic summit in Saudi Arabia’s capital Riyadh on Monday, Morsi said he had hoped for a more “peaceful and developmental” approach to the crisis in Mali. France officially intervened in the destabilised West African country on January 11, after Mali appealed to Paris for military assistance to help retake the northern half of the country from Islamist militants.

The Right Scoop