German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius and Development Minister Svenja Schulze have said that Germany will withdraw its soldiers from Mali within 9 to 12 months.
The minister added that the estimate of this timeframe is based on the requirements of conducting a military logistical operation that takes a lot of organization, especially as 12,000 German soldiers are deployed in Mali by MINUSMA.
The two ministers, who visited the German contingent of the UN peacekeeping mission (MINUSMA) in Gao on Thursday, said that Germany’s new realities had forced the withdrawal of German soldiers. However, both ministers affirmed that Germany will not stop providing development aid.
Pistorius stressed that the German contingent used to play an important role, especially in reconnaissance missions, but the engagement has not been possible due to the conditions that made it fail.
Since taking power, the military junta has broken off military cooperation with France and its European partners in the combat against the jihadists and has turned to Russia, via the Wagner Group.
Similarly, the restrictions imposed by the junta on MINUSMA operations have led several countries to stop or suspend their participation in MINUSMA.