Malian diplomats expelled from France over arrest of suspected French spy

Two staff members from the Malian embassy and consulate in Paris have been declared persona non grata. France has suspended counterterrorism cooperation with Mali and ordered two staff members of the Malian embassy and consulate to leave, the French foreign ministry said on Friday. The move came after Bamako's a rrest of an alleged French intelligence agent in August. A spokesperson for Mali's foreign ministry declined to comment. The suspension further exacerbates tensions between Paris and the West African country, after Mali's government severed military ties with France. Overthrow plot The man was arrested in August, along with two Malian generals, and accused of participating in a plot to destabilise Mali.