The European Union decided on Monday to “stop” its training and training missions for the army and the National Guard in Malibut will remain in the Sahel and deploy in neighboring countries, the head of European diplomacy announced.
Disagree with the junta
“We will stop the training missions and the training of the Armed Forces and the National Guard, but we will continue to train in the law of war, because the army needs to know that war has laws and rules of the game,” the Spaniard explained. Joseph Borrell following a meeting with EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg.
“Events force us to make this decision. We have not received the requested guarantees (from the junta). But we are not leaving the Sahel. We will deploy in neighboring countries,” he explained.
Germany on the way out?
Germany plans to withdraw its soldiers present in Mali as part of the EU training mission and the United Nations mission in Mali, the Minusma. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock plans to meet the head of the Malian junta this week during a trip to Mali. She wants to “get a clear picture of the political and security situation” to decide whether or not to keep the Bundeswehr, a ministry spokesman explained.
About 300 German soldiers participate in the European Union Training Mission in Mali (EUTM) and 1,100 soldiers in Minusma, which has 14,000 soldiers and police. “The question is how the Minusma can continue to do its job. If it wants to remain blind and deaf in the barracks, there is no need to stay,” said Josep Borrell.
The presence of the Wagner group
The biggest problem with theEU is the presence of mercenaries from the Russian Wagner group, who came to Mali at the request of the junta, and the cooperation of units of the Malian army trained by the EU for their activities. Europeans are calling for an independent inquiry into the events that took place in Moura, in the center of the country, between 27 and 31 March.
The army says it has “neutralized” 203 jihadists during a major operation. But testimonies report the mass execution of civilians by Malian soldiers and “foreign fighters”. The Moura region is one of the main centers of violence in the Sahel. The United Nations has announced that it has opened an investigation.
