In gesture to Paris, Mali pardons convicted French agent

Mali's junta chief on Thursday pardoned a French intelligence agent serving a 20 year jail term, a rare conciliatory gesture following years of tension between the west African nation and its former colonial ruler.In gesture to Paris, Mali pardons convicted French agentThe decision came as Mali's military authorities have been weakened by a massive offensive launched in April by jihadists and separatists.Arrested a year ago, the French agent, identified as Yann V., was accused by Mali of being a spy and undermining state security.Mali said in a statement posted on Facebook that the clemency "does not call into question the facts established by an adversarial judgment rendered during trial".It added that there would be "immediate removal of the individual from national territory".The senten