LONDON (Reuters) – Britain will pull out the 300 troops it had sent to Mali as part of a U.N. peacekeeping force in the West African country following similar withdrawals this year by other Western nations, a government minister said on Monday.
The early withdrawal comes after France and its military allies began withdrawing thousands of troops from Mali this year as the country’s military junta began collaborating with private contractors belonging to Russia’s Wagner Group.
The Western withdrawals from Mali this year have caused fears among diplomats that this could increase violence, destabilise neighbours and embolden jihadists.
British Armed Forces Minister James Heappey told parliament recent coups in Mali had undermined international efforts to help bring peace in the country, which has seen growing violence in recent years by groups linked to al-Qaeda and Islamic State.
“This government cannot deploy our nation’s military to provide security when the host countries government is not willing to work with us to deliver lasting stability and security,” Heappey said.
The Malian’s government’s partnership with Wagner, which has also been linked to human rights abuses, was counterproductive to security in the region, he added.
Heappey said Britain’s commitment to West Africa and UN work in the region would continue. Britain sent troops to Mali late in 2020 to provide reconnaissance support to the UN peacekeeping mission of about 14,000 personnel.
(Reporting by Sachin Ravikumar. Editing by Andrew MacAskill)
