According to a French diplomatic source cited by AFP, the two Malian officials - representing the embassy and consulate in Paris - have each been declared persona non grata and instructed to depart France by Saturday. The source also warned that "other measures" could follow if the detained French national is not released promptly. The dispute stems from the August 15 arrest of a staff member at the French embassy in Bamako. According to Malian Security Minister Daoud Aly Mohammedine, Vezilier was among a "small group of marginal elements" in the Malian army. The Alliance of Sahel States (AES) - formed by Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger - has repeatedly accused France of seeking to sabotage the group by pressuring members to turn on each other.