(3 minutes read)
· Mali’s transitional government told Denmark to withdraw “immediately” its soldiers, numbering over 100, who arrived in Mali in recent days to take part in the European special forces grouping -Takuba – initiated by France.
· The Malian government said that the deployment occurred without its consent
· Denmark announced last week the arrival in Mali of 90 men, mostly elite soldiers and military surgeon
· They are supposed to participate in Takuba to protect civilians against jihadists in the so-called tri-border area (Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger) and be based in Menaka (eastern Mali)
Mali’s transitional government told Denmark to withdraw “immediately” its soldiers, numbering over 100, who arrived in Mali in recent days to take part in the European special forces grouping -Takuba – initiated by France.
The Malian government said that the deployment occurred without its consent. Denmark announced last week the arrival in Mali of 90 men, mostly elite soldiers and military surgeon. They are supposed to participate in Takuba to protect civilians against jihadists in the so-called tri-border area (Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger) and be based in Menaka (eastern Mali).
A grouping of European special forces designed to accompany Malian soldiers in combat against jihadists. The Takuba “task force” was launched in March 2020 at the initiative of France to share the burden with its European partners.
The request for the withdrawal of this Danish contingent comes in the midst of a tug of war between the junta and a part of the international community that wants to force it to return power to civilians in the near future. Relations with France in particular, of late have deteriorated severely. West African states, ECOWAS, imposed sanctions on Mali on January 9, supported by France and various partners of the country. The junta has clung to the sovereignty of the territory.
It retaliated to the closure of borders by ECOWAS by closing its borders in return. It is subjecting the entry of aircraft into Mali’s airspace to new approvals and procedures. It also said it had requested a review of its defense agreements with France.
The Malian government asserts in its communiqué that the deployment of Danish forces was done without a bilateral agreement between Copenhagen and Bamako, as it said the protocol applicable to countries participating in Takuba would have required.
