Denmark will withdraw its forces after a new request from the military council
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Denmark has decided to withdraw 100 soldiers from Mali after the transitional government once again demanded their departure.
Noting the new requirements of the Financial Transitional Government, Denmark, Thursday, January 27, announced in preparation for its military withdrawal.
He added, “The ruling generals sent a clear message in which they reiterated that Denmark is not[était] Not welcome in Mali. “We do not accept that and that is why we have decided to bring our soldiers home,” Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod said after a meeting in parliament.
Colonel Abdoulaye Maiga, Minister and Spokesman for the Transitional Government, read on Wednesday evening on the first national channel ORTM1 the press release that demanded Denmark “insistently” to withdraw its special forces deployed in Mali recently without obtaining the approval of the Military Council. The disputed powers of Denmark, France and the European countries participating in the Takuba Special Forces Group.
“We have not yet reached the stage of the diplomatic incident, it could be a misunderstanding between the Mali government and the Danish government,” Colonel Maiga said. He added that Bamako was entitled to obtain “an apology from the Danish authorities.” He mentioned Denmark’s “very good reputation” in Mali for its work in favor of development. “We invite them to pay attention to some partners who unfortunately find it difficult to get rid of colonial reactions,” he added.
This renewed hostility comes amid a debate over the Takuba Force, a group of European special forces led by France that is fighting in the Sahel against armed jihadist groups. Denmark sent 105 men this month to bolster its ranks.
Tensions with Paris
Colonel Maiga also strongly attacked the French Minister of the Armed Forces, Florence Parly, and called on her to “show more restraint and […] Respecting the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of a country.” While the French minister accused the military council on Tuesday of doubling down on “provocations.”
La Force Takuba, which includes 14 countries, brings together 600 to 900 people, including medical and logistical teams. France fears that the Danish incident will raise questions about future deployments planned this year by Norway, Hungary, Portugal, Romania and Lithuania. Norway, Portugal and Hungary are waiting for the green light from Bamako.
With Agence France-Presse and Reuters
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