Following similar withdrawals this year by other Western countries, Britain will withdraw its 300 troops from a U.N. peacekeeping operation in Mali, a cabinet official announced on Monday.
The early pullout of the troops follows the departure of tens of thousands of troops from Mali by France and its military allies earlier this year, as the country’s military junta started working with Russian company Wagner Group-affiliated private contractors.
Diplomats worry that the Western withdrawals from Mali this year will fuel conflict, destabilise the country’s neighbours, and strengthen insurgents.
Recent coups in Mali, where there has been an increase in violence by organisations affiliated with al-Qaeda and the Islamic State in recent years, have damaged international attempts to bring about peace in the country, according to British Armed Forces Minister James Heappey.
“This government cannot deploy our nation’s military to provide security when the host country’s government is not willing to work with us to deliver lasting stability and security,” Heappey said.
The alliance between the Malian government and Wagner, which has also been connected to violations of human rights, was detrimental to regional security, he continued.
Heappey declared that Britain would continue to support the United Nations’ efforts in West Africa. Late January 2020, Britain dispatched troops to Mali to bolster the roughly 14,000-person peacekeeping mission there with reconnaissance.
An inquiry for information was not immediately answered by Souleymane Dembele, the army spokesman for Mali.
The U.N. peacekeeping force in Mali, MINUSMA, made reference to a statement made by Farhan Haq, the deputy spokesman for U.N. Secretary-General Antonio.
“We’re aware of the statement by the Minister of Armed Forces to the House of Commons and we will engage with the Permanent Mission in relation to this announcement,” Haq said at a press briefing in New York on Monday.
“We remain grateful to the United Kingdom for its contribution to MINUSMA,” he added