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2021-10-18 Africa North
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Withdrawing French troops, Macron gives Mali to Russian mercenaries
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| Here’s hoping the Russians can clear the infection. |
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[INOSMI] France began to gradually withdraw its contingent from military bases in northern Mali. This withdrawal decision spoiled France's relations with its former colony and opened doors for Russian mercenaries.
While Paris will continue to provide air support for the Malian military in their fight against insurgent forces in western Africa, it will close three of its bases and cut its 5,100 troops by almost half. Now the European allies will support the Malian military in battles.
“The idea is not to create a vacuum. The idea is to shift responsibility for these areas to the Malian state, ”said General Etienne du Peyroux, one of the commanders of the French forces in Operation Barchan. "To avoid the risk of being stuck in this conflict, we need to respond in more than just a military manner."
Operation Barkhan began in 2013 after the Islamists seized control of northern Mali. But the French contingent, as well as the UN peacekeeping mission of 13,000 troops, failed to achieve significant success, and the intensity of conflicts in Mali increased. As a result, large swaths of territory fell into the hands of militants, and instability spilled over the border into neighboring Burkina Faso and Niger.
The Sahel, a large arid region south of the Sahara, has emerged as a new arena for the fight against Islamic fundamentalism since the collapse of the Gaddafi regime a decade ago. A number of jihadist groups have settled in Mali, where instability has become a key driver of population migration to Europe. France suspended military engagement with the Malian military in June after the country suffered a second coup d'état in less than a year.
Hamidou Cissé of the Mali patriotic movement was delighted to hear of the French dwindling contingent. “After their arrival, we thought we would have peace. If they leave today, in six months or a year, we will suffer. But it is better to suffer than to remain in their hands forever, ”he said.
After President Macron announced the withdrawal in July, tensions between Paris and his former colony began to grow. Reports have surfaced that the military leadership in Bamako will use a Kremlin-affiliated private military company to fill the vacuum French troops are leaving behind.
France and Germany, whose military are involved in the anti-terrorist operation of the UN and the European Union, warned that any agreement in the Wagner Group would call into question their continued participation in this operation. Russia has no hesitation in capitalizing on instability in the more fragile African states, reviving its Soviet-style influence there. Fighters from Wagner's private military company are present in dozens of countries on this continent.
More via Regnum.ru
In Mali, a soldier was killed in an attack by militants
[REGNUM] In Mali, at least one soldier was killed in an attack on an army camp by militants, the country's defense ministry said on October 17.
"A group of unknown persons attacked the Acharana camp near Timbuktu town. According to preliminary data, one government serviceman was killed and three more wounded," the ministry said.
It is noted that four militants were eliminated by return fire.
As reported by IA REGNUM , on October 2, unidentified persons attacked the MINUSMA convoy near the Malian city of Tesalit. As a result of the incident, the peacekeeper was killed and four more were injured.
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Posted by badanov 2021-10-18 00:00||
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Posted by Omomolet Phutch9064 2021-10-18 13:48||
2021-10-18 13:48||
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