The picture of a soldier in Mali has caused a storm of controversy Bashny.Net

This photo spread around the Internet. January 21 agency AFP published a picture of a French soldier in Mali: his face was hidden by a bandana with a skull that, as noted by users and the media made him look like a character in the game Call of Duty.

"Incredible", "amazing", "chilling" picture ... Around her, a heated debate broke out, and the general staff eventually even reacted to the comments. A day later, the photographer put an end to all hypotheses, and told the story of the picture.

Sensational photo made Isuf Sanogo, who on that day was accompanied by the French military in the prefecture of Niono. As photographer AFP, «the history of this photograph where banal than you might think».
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"They are trying to have fun»

By pared photographer from Abidjan, which was sent to Mali at the beginning of the conflict, with a skull bandana nothing very shocking. Press saw this relationship between war and video games, and Libération argues that the military thus wants to show that "has come to bring death." However, he reminds the reporter that "soldiers are working in difficult conditions." "They have to travel thousands of kilometers, so they try somehow to have fun" - justifies their Isuf Sanogo.

Says the same thing and being prepared to be sent to Mali, the French military, which is associated in the Huffington Post. When he saw the picture, he is amused: "Soldiers very rarely pose this way, but if a guy sees a photographer, why not play a little bit." "I have done these pictures - he says. - But this is a great product, the photographer tried. "



"Unacceptable behavior»

Whatever the quality of the photos and the behavior of the soldier, on Monday had risen the hype around it attracted the attention of the General Staff. "Such behavior is unacceptable," - said at a press conference, spokesman of the General Staff Byurkar Thierry (Thierry Burkhard).

"This picture does not reflect what the France in Mali at the request of the Malian state", and the attitude of the French soldiers who were "risking their lives", - he stressed.

When asked about possible penalties against the soldier appeared in the picture, he said, that his personality "is now installed." Isuf Sanogo, in turn, said he did not know who was the soldier in bandana. "I hope that his identity will not be able to establish, - said the photographer. - I'm not even sure that he was aware of everything that people say about him! »



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