Mali's President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita has urged Malians not to "bite the hands" of nations giving aid, in a response to growing hostility to foreign forces helping the Sahel country battle Islamist militants.

French forces have been in Mali since a 2013 campaign to drive out Islamist fighters from the country's north, but public anger over growing militant violence has recently turned on the presence of foreign troops.

Keita's appeal came days after a mid-air collision between two helicopters killed 13 French troops who were on a night-time operation against jihadists in Mali.

"We have no reason to glorify how we reached out to those who needed our help yesterday," the president said in a statement late Saturday, referring to Malian soldiers involvement in the two world wars and peacekeeping missions.

"But we also have no reason to bite the hands of those who give us theirs today."

Despite the presence of French and other foreign forces, jihadists have regrouped to carry out deadly attacks on Mali's army and violence has spread to neighbouring countries.

Two Malian gendarmes were shot dead Sunday in an attack on their post in the eastern town of Menaka, a local official said.

Mali's leader also called on all parties, including the main opposition, to take part in a national debate to be launched on December 14 to discuss solutions to the country's security crisis.

"We should seize the opportunity," he said.

In another sign of a push for political solutions, a committee monitoring a 2015 peace deal with rebel groups will also hold a meeting on December 11. The committee was responsible for overseeing the disarming of rebel groups and their integration into the Malian armed forces.

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Macron urges 'greater involvement' by NATO allies in Sahel anti-jihadist fight
Paris (AFP) Nov 28, 2019
President Emmanuel Macron called Thursday for France's allies to get more involved in the French-led fight against jihadist groups in the Sahel region of West Africa. At a press conference in Paris with NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg, Macron said "greater involvement" by NATO allies would be "wholly beneficial" and said the subject should be on the table at the NATO summit near London next week. "I want a discussion between allies on a concrete commitment to the fight against terrorism in the Sahel ... read more