Belgium could consider 255 soldiers in Mali
Belgium plans to provide security assistance to Mali, a West African country plagued by recurrent attacks. To this end, a deployment program of 255 Belgian soldiers is being studied.
A deployment of 255 Belgian soldiers in Mali in 2022, this was announced by Commander Van Belleghem, military adviser to the Belgian Minister of Defense, who mentioned the provision of a sub-group to Mali. joint tactics. According to Brussels, the deployment will be done in a “gradual and evolutionary” way.
From 165 men, the Belgian military personnel will gradually increase to 255 soldiers in 2022. This deployment, insisting on the Belgian authorities, will depend on the security situation in Mali. It will be a conventional unit equipped with wheeled armored vehicles, which will take part in the operations of the forces of the European Union, Task Force Takuba.
Still according to the military adviser to the Belgian Minister of Defense, “the detailed analysis of this unprecedented operational commitment for the Belgian army is still underway within the Defense Staff”. The announcement comes at a time when a lively controversy is important in Mali, with in particular reports of the recruitment of Russian instructors from the Wagner company, to provide assistance to the authorities of this West African country.
Hit with coins by terrorists, who regularly target the Malian Armed Forces, killing their ranks, Mali recently received helicopters and weapons from Turkey to strengthen its military capabilities. Cornered by Paris which rejects the idea of recruiting Russian instructors, Bamako denied this information.
To read : Mali: at least 4 soldiers killed and 14 wounded in an attack