PARIS (Reuters) – France and 14 different countries urged Mali late on Wednesday to permit Danish particular forces to stay within the African nation, however its transitional authorities insisted on a right away withdrawal.
In response to Danish Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod saying on Tuesday that the troops had been there by a “clear invitation,” the Malian authorities stated it was shocked as a result of a call on the Danish request in June to deploy troops was nonetheless pending.
“No accord authorizes the deployment of Danish particular forces to the Takuba Task Force,” the Malian authorities stated in a press release. Norway, Portugal and Hungary are nonetheless ready for approval and haven’t deployed troops, it added.
Mali’s authorities on Monday requested Denmark to instantly withdraw the troops.
The European job drive was arrange to assist Mali and West African Sahel neighbours Burkina Faso and Niger deal with militants linked to the Islamic State and al Qaeda who’ve occupied swathes of territory within the space the place their borders meet.
In a press release, the 15 countries stated they deeply regretted the Mali authorities’s allegations that the Danish contingent in Takuba lacked a correct authorized foundation.
“They act in full accordance with worldwide and nationwide legal guidelines of their help to the Malian armed forces and of their long-standing battle towards armed terrorist teams,” the 15 nations stated.
The Takuba Task Force was established as a partial successor to a French counter-terrorism operation within the West African Sahel area. French President Emmanuel Macron has began to cut back the operation which had over 5,000 troops.
The job drive contains 14 European countries, which give particular forces, logistical and tactical help to work alongside regional troops for focused operations towards Islamist militants.
(Reporting by John Irish in Paris and Tiemoko Diallo in Bamako; Writing by Juliette (*14*) and Bate Felix; Editing by Chris Reese and Richard Chang)
