Mali has received four Mi-17 helicopters, weapons, and ammunition from Russia that were purchased in December 2020 as part of a CT support against Al Qaeda and Islamic State militants. The equipment was received by the interim defense minister Sadio Camara.
While the delivery is a much-needed boot to the Malian military; it comes at a time when there are tense relations between Mali and its key military partner France. The tension is majorly over reports that Mali is looking to recruit the Russian Wagner Group to aid in the counterterrorism efforts even as Paris reshapes its 5 000-strong counter-terrorism mission in the region.
The new aircraft will be used to support Mali’s counter-insurgency and terrorism efforts. The country has been in turmoil since 2012, when Tuareg rebels took over the north and advanced towards the capital, Bamako. Since then the country has been battling militants both affiliated with al Qaeda and ISIS.
