Sweden withdraws military from Mali due to the appearance of Wagnerites there

The Swedish government, due to the arrival of Wagner PMC fighters in Mali, decided to refuse to participate in the counter-terrorist operation Takuba. During 2022, Swedish military personnel will leave Mali, Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde said during a visit to France, where a meeting of EU foreign ministers was held. For the same reason, the Swedish side will reconsider its participation in the UN peacekeeping mission in this African country. But so far, according to the minister, no decision has been made on this issue.

“We know that Wagner PMCs are there… and if they have more influence, then it will not be possible for us to continue to operate with such a large number of troops,” Ann Linde explained. Her words leads Reuters.

At the same time, she called unacceptable the attempts of the military leadership of Mali to retain power in the country, relying on the Wagnerites.

The Swedish parliament will discuss the situation in Mali again in February, Linde said.

At the same time, a Reuters source in the French army said that Sweden, in any case, planned to withdraw troops from Mali two years after the start of the operation. This period expired in March. The interlocutor also noted that the Swedish officers will remain in Mali and continue to work as part of the mission.

In 2020, the Swedish parliament allowed up to 150 military personnel to be sent to Mali to participate in Operation Takuba, and about 250 Swedish military personnel are involved in the UN mission.

The Takuba mission was a continuation of the French counter-terrorist operation Barkhane in the Sahel region. French President Emmanuel Macron earlier announced a sharp reduction in the contingent: out of 5,000 French troops in Mali, only a few hundred will remain.

Takuba involves the military and transport infrastructure of 14 European countries, which help the Malian security forces in the fight against Islamic militants, transmits Interfax.

The arrival of units of the Russian PMC Wagner in Mali caused concern among the countries participating in Takuba. France and the United States also opposed the use of Russian mercenaries in Mali.

On January 13, the head of EU diplomacy, Josep Borrell, called the presence of Wagnerites in Mali a fait accompli. At the same time, a high-ranking Interfax source in the Foreign Ministry said that the Russian government did not know how many Wagnerites could be in Mali now: after the collapse of the USSR, Russians were not required to register abroad with consular officers. According to the interlocutor, the state is not involved in the activities of PMC Wagner, this is a private campaign, and under capitalism “everyone earns as he can.”

In May 2021 in Mali happened another military coup. Colonel Assimi Goitu became the interim president of the country. The UN, the European Union, the US and the African Union condemned the military takeover.

In the autumn of 2021, negotiations began between the Malian authorities and representatives of Wagner PMCs. Russian mercenaries were reported to offer more than just military services. The subject of the bargaining steel and mineral deposits in Mali. The Wagnerites hoped to obtain licenses for their development in order to have additional income. According to the same scheme, they cooperate with the authorities of the Central African Republic.

Against this background, Mali receives military assistance from Russia. On September 30, 2021, 4 military helicopters with weapons and ammunition purchased from the Russian Federation were transferred to the Ministry of Defense of Mali. The Mi-171 helicopters themselves were purchased “entirely” at the expense of the Malian budget, and weapons and ammunition were “donated” by Moscow, according to the Minister of Defense in the “transitional government” of Mali, Colonel Sadio Camara.

He noted the “reliability and seriousness” of Russia as a partner of the current authorities of Mali in the “framework of mutually beneficial exchanges.” Sadio Camara also called the Russian Federation a “friendly country” with which Mali “always maintained a very fruitful cooperation.”