Gao, Mali: Bundeswehr sends reinforcements for UN mission

Enlarge image

Bundeswehr soldiers in Gao in April 2022

Photo: Kay Nietfeld / dpa

To strengthen the UN mission in Mali, the Bundeswehr has transferred soldiers to the West African country.

A spokesman for the Bundeswehr Operations Command confirmed to SPIEGEL that a plane with the soldiers landed there on Thursday at 4:35 p.m. German time.

The infantry reinforcements are to take part in protecting the airport in Gao city, the spokesman said.

The majority of the German blue helmets deployed in Mali have their base there in the field camp of the UN mission Minusma.

The forces are urgently needed on site for airport security, since this task is no longer guaranteed since the French left.

Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht (SPD) surprisingly suspended all Bundeswehr operations for the UN mission "Minusma" outside the camp in Gao in mid-August.

The Union parties called for a special meeting of the defense and foreign affairs committees during the summer break to discuss the continuation of the mission in Mali.

Minusma is intended to help stabilize the country

With around 13,000 peacekeepers and almost 2,000 police officers, the UN mission is intended to help stabilize the country.

The Bundestag has set an upper limit of 1,400 soldiers for the Bundeswehr.

At the beginning of August, just over a thousand German soldiers were on site.

According to the Malian government, the airport in Gao is currently operated by the Malian Airport Directorate, as is the airport in the capital Bamako.

The African authority for air security Asecna is again responsible for security in Gao, it said (on Tuesday evening) at the request of the dpa news agency.

After the withdrawal of the French anti-terrorist mission Barkhane, she took over this task again.

According to the Malian government, it is in talks with the UN mission Minusma to agree on the future operation of the airport in Gao.

mgo/dpa