Spähzug mit ihren Fenneks während eines Trainings auf der Ausbildungsanlage “IED-Lane” im Camp Marmal, Mazar-e Sharif am 18.05.2016. ( (© Bundeswehr/Marco Dorow)
By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES
UNITED NATIONS – NEW YORK – At least 12 German soldiers were among UN peacekeepers injured in a vehicle bomb attack on a camp in northern Mali on Friday, the UN said. The incident follows Thursday’s attack with another improvised explosive device on another UN patrol in the same area, which did not result in casualties. All of the wounded soldiers were flown by helicopter to Gao, where they were being treated at German, French and Chinese medical facilities, according to German Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbaue. Three of the soldiers were severely wounded.
“We joint the UN Mission in strongly condemning this attack and we all wish a speedy and full recovery to our colleagues,”
– said Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres
Ce matin, une base opérationnelle temporaire de la Force de la MINUSMA près du village d'Ichagara, dans la commune de Tarkint, région de #Gao, a été la cible d’une attaque au véhicule piégé. 15 #Casquesbleus ont été blessés, leur évacuation est en cours. pic.twitter.com/l40GsrLFzd
— MINUSMA (@UN_MINUSMA) June 25, 2021
About 900 German troops are currently deployed in the region within the UN’s MINUSMA mission as well as an EU military training mission. The UN also has over 12,000 peacekeepers in Mali. France, which has 5,100 troops in the Sahel, reportedly asked Germany last year to deploy more soldiers. Earlier this month, French President Macron announced he was ending France’s Operation Barkhane and pulling out the 5,100 soldiers.
German Defense Minister Supports Sending more Troops to Africa’s Sahel
Credit: ©Bundeswehr/Jana Neumann / German Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbaue
Germany should consider expanding its troop mandate in Africa’s Sahel region, Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer said in December 2019. The German government in April 2021 approved to expand its military mission in Mali with up to 600 troops to be deployed in Mali as part of the European Union’s training mission.
In May 2020, Kramp-Karrenbauer stated that the Sahel region has become a “major hub for terrorism, organized crime, migration and human trafficking.” Germany cannot allow itself to “duck away” from responsibility in the region, she said, warning that doing so could have serious security consequences, as reported by DW.com.
