Didier Dacko
{{Infobox military person
| name = Didier Dacko
| image = File:Didier Dacko.png
| caption = Dacko in 2018, as commander of the G5 Sahel
| birth_date = 1967
| birth_place = San, Mali
| allegiance = {{flagdeco|Mali}}
| branch = Malian Armed Forces
| rank = Division general
| commands = Chief of the General Staff of Mali (2016)
Commander of G5 Sahel Joint Forces (2017-2018)
| known_for = Defense at the Battle of Konna
| battles = Mali War
| laterwork = Ambassador of Mali to China (2019-present)
}}
Didier Dacko is a Malian general who commanded Malian forces during the early stages of the Mali War, and reversed the gains made by the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA) and jihadist groups in 2013.
Biography
Dacko was born in San, Mali, in 1967 to a Bobo family.{{Cite web |title=Mali : la drôle de guerre - Jeune Afrique.com |url=https://www.jeuneafrique.com/139151/politique/mali-la-dr-le-de-guerre/ |access-date=2024-02-28 |website=JeuneAfrique.com |language=fr-FR}} He graduated at the top of his class from the Kati Military Prytaneum. When the Mali War broke out in 2012, Dacko was a colonel-major and the commander in Gao Region. In February and March, he led reinforcements to try and break the siege of Tessalit, but was not able to. On March 31, 2012, he was forced to abandon Gao and return to Sévaré.{{Cite web |date=2012-04-01 |title=MALI. Le pouvoir laisse Gao aux mains des rebelles |url=https://www.nouvelobs.com/monde/20120401.OBS5162/mali-le-pouvoir-laisse-gao-aux-mains-des-rebelles.html |access-date=2024-02-28 |website=L'Obs |language=fr}} Dacko commanded Malian forces during the Battle of Konna in January 2013, effectively halting the spread southward of jihadist groups.{{Cite web |title=Mali : retour sur la bataille décisive de Konna - Jeune Afrique.com |url=https://www.jeuneafrique.com/165872/politique/mali-retour-sur-la-bataille-d-cisive-de-konna/ |access-date=2024-02-28 |website=JeuneAfrique.com |language=fr-FR}} He then commanded Malian forces in recapturing Gao in January 2013.{{Cite book |last=Notin |first=Jean-Christophe |title=La guerre du France au Mali |pages=308–309}} He then captured Anéfis from the MNLA in June 2013.{{Cite web |title=Après des combats, l'armée malienne reprend Anefis au MNLA - Jeune Afrique.com |url=https://www.jeuneafrique.com/170405/politique/apr-s-des-combats-l-arm-e-malienne-reprend-anefis-au-mnla/ |access-date=2024-02-28 |website=JeuneAfrique.com |language=fr-FR}}
Dacko was promoted to brigadier-general for these actions in August 2013, and subsequently promoted to Deputy Chief of the General Staff that October.{{Cite web |title=Mali : Amadou Haya Sanogo ne dirige plus la réforme de l'armée - Jeune Afrique.com |url=https://www.jeuneafrique.com/168838/politique/mali-amadou-haya-sanogo-ne-dirige-plus-la-r-forme-de-l-arm-e/ |access-date=2024-02-28 |website=JeuneAfrique.com |language=fr-FR}}{{Cite web |date=October 10, 2013 |title=Le Général Didier Dacko promu Chef d'Etat major Général adjoint des Armées |url=https://maliactu.info/politique/le-general-didier-dacko-promu-chef-detat-major-general-adjoint-des-armees/ |access-date=February 28, 2024 |website=Maliactu Info}} On May 21, 2014, Dacko led over 2,000 men to recapture Kidal from the MNLA and the HCUA. The counteroffensive failed, however, and Malian forces were forced to seek refuge in a MINUSMA base.{{Cite web |title=Fiasco malien au nord : Comment et pourquoi l'armée malienne fut vaincue |url=https://malijet.com/actualte_dans_les_regions_du_mali/rebellion_au_nord_du_mali/102819-fiasco-malien-au-nord-comment-et-pourquoi-l%E2%80%99arm%C3%A9e-malienne-fut-v.html |access-date=2024-02-28 |website=malijet.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=La bataille de Kidal, un mal pour un bien ? - Jeune Afrique.com |url=https://www.jeuneafrique.com/52733/politique/la-bataille-de-kidal-un-mal-pour-un-bien/ |access-date=2024-02-28 |website=JeuneAfrique.com |language=fr-FR}}
Dacko was promoted to Chief of Staff on June 29, 2016, replacing Mahamane Touré, and was promoted to division general in the process.{{Cite web |date=2016-06-30 |title=Mali: quatre soldats maliens tués dans une attaque dans le Nord |url=http://www.slateafrique.com/676987/mali-quatre-soldats-maliens-tues-dans-une-attaque-dans-le-nord |access-date=2024-02-28 |website=Slate Afrique |language=fr-FR |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20160701125035/http://www.slateafrique.com/676987/mali-quatre-soldats-maliens-tues-dans-une-attaque-dans-le-nord |archive-date=2016-07-01}} Dacko was promoted again on June 8, 2017, becoming commander of the G5 Sahel Joint Force.{{Cite news |title=Mali : le général Didier Dacko à la tête de la force conjointe G5 Sahel |url=https://www.bbc.com/afrique/region-40213547 |access-date=2024-02-28 |work=BBC News Afrique |language=fr}} He was dismissed on July 2, 2018, due to a lack of results and command errors, and replaced by Hanena Ould Sidi.{{Cite web |last=Mouahidi |first=Khalid Al |title=G5 Sahel: General Hanena Ould Sidi takes control – Medafrica Times |url=https://medafricatimes.com/16406-g5-sahel-general-hanena-ould-sidi-takes-control.html |access-date=2024-02-28 |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2018-07-13 |title=Mali: la force conjointe du G5-Sahel change de commandement |url=https://www.francetvinfo.fr/monde/afrique/tchad/mali-la-force-conjointe-du-g5-sahel-change-de-commandement_3056567.html |access-date=2024-02-28 |website=Franceinfo |language=fr-FR}} He was then made the Malian ambassador to the People's Republic of China on February 21, 2019.{{Cite web |title=Mali : IBK nomme le général Didier Dacko ambassadeur du Mali en Chine {{!}} Bamada.net |url=https://bamada.net/mali-ibk-nomme-le-general-didier-dacko-ambassadeur-du-mali-en-chine |access-date=2024-02-28 |language=en-US}}