African nations begin Mali trop deployments
(01-17 09:54)
Chad is to send 2,000 soldiers to join the operation against Islamist insurgents in northern Mali, the foreign minister told Radio France Internationale.
“We intend to send an infantry regiment and two support battalions, which comes to around 2,000 men,'' Moussa Faki Mahamat told RFI, AFP reports. “Our presence has to be significant in order to effectively accomplish our mission.’’ The troops would work closely with the Malian army and the West African force taking shape there, he added.
Before Chad's announcement, West African army chiefs said 2,000 African troops would arrive in the Malian capital Bamako before January 26. Nigeria has already promised 900 troops to a UN-approved 3,300-strong multinational African intervention force in Mali, which it will command. Niger, Burkina Faso, Togo, Senegal, Guinea and Ghana have also promised troops.
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