The United Kingdom has announced that it would be deploying 300 troops to the UN peacekeeping mission in Mali to tackle the growing threat by Jihadists in the Sahel nation. The deployment is in line with the nation’s commitment to strengthening the security and upholding human rights in a region that is ravaged by terrorism, war, and political unrest.
The British troops will provide the UN mission with a highly specialized reconnaissance capability, conducting patrols to gather intelligence and engage with the local population. Britain has already deployed three Chinook helicopters and 100 personnel to Mali, providing logistical support for France’s anti-jihadist campaign, but this role is separate from that of the UN mission.
Mali, like most countries in the Sahel region, has been battling ethnic and sectarian revolts with alliances to both ISIS and Al Qaeda. Mali is struggling with an Islamist insurgency that first erupted in the north but has since spread to the centre of the country and spilled over into neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger.
