The German government demanded clarification from Mali’s transitional government about the alleged presence of Russian security forces at Gao airport. The German ambassador in Bamako has addressed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mali with a corresponding request, the official representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Germany in Berlin said on Wednesday, August 17.

“This is an environment-changing development for the mission,” he added, referring to the Bundeswehr’s participation in the UN peacekeeping mission to stabilize Mali (MINUSMA). According to him, the German government is also discussing this issue with the United Nations.

A spokeswoman for the German Defense Ministry said 20 to 30 people in military uniforms that were not related to the Malian armed forces were seen at Gao airport. They were seen loading and unloading a plane that may have been delivered to Mali by Russia, she said.

Germany suspends Bundeswehr mission in Mali

Last week, the German Defense Ministry announced the end of the Bundeswehr mission in Mali “until further notice”. The reason for this decision was disagreement with the government of the North African country, namely the forthcoming denial of the right to fly to transport new personnel. This right was not granted, despite a promise to that effect by the Malian Government.

At the end of June, the UN Security Council extended the MINUSMA peace mission in Mali for another year. At the moment, the German Bundeswehr is mobilizing more than 1,000 of its soldiers in the mission. Meanwhile, the work of peacekeeping forces in Mali is complicated by a number of circumstances related to tensions between this West African country and its international partners and the activation of extremist groups in the country.

France withdraws all its troops from Mali

Since the May 2021 military coup, the country has been ruled by a military junta that maintains close ties with Russia and uses the services of Wagner PMC, whose fighters are called “military advisers” in Mali.

In February 2022, Paris, amid tensions between the French authorities and the ruling military junta in Mali, announced the decision to end Operation Barkhane and the military operation Takuba, in which several other European countries under French command participate. On 15 August, the Élysée Palace press service reported that Mali had left the last French soldier who participated in Operation Barkhane.