Mali

The growing violence has contributed to a deteriorating security situation in central Mali, with impunity being one of the aggravating factors, an independent UN human rights expert warned on Friday.

At least 40 people, including nine soldiers, have been killed in a spate of attacks in central Mali, authorities said on Friday.

"The number of deaths in the Sahel is becoming exponential and it's time that certain paths be explored," he said in an interview … But dialogue with jihadist leaders such as Amadou Koufa and Iyad Ag Ghali has long been considered beyond the pale for the government in Bamako.

The operations come as the France-led Operation Barkhane builds command coordination with local partner forces in sub-Saharan Africa’s Sahel region, setting up dedicated coordination mechanisms for the new Sahel Coalition in Niger’s capital Niamey and Chad’s capital N’Djamena.

The Swedish Armed Forces has begun planning for a possible deployment including helicopters to the new France-led special operations Task Force Takuba in Mali, following a request from the government. … France has for months been trying to build support for the new Task Force Takuba that will train, advise, assist and accompany local forces in their fight against Islamic State and al-Qaeda affiliates in the region.

The United Nations’ top humanitarian official in Mali urged more engagement with armed groups including jihadists, and more aid and development funding, saying on Monday that extra troops would not help to stabilise the country.

Mali is to launch a major new military operation in seven troubled regions in the east and center of the country to “counter terrorist and criminal threats” and assert the authority of the state.

France is to boost the number of troops deployed to its Operation Barkhane counter-terrorism mission in Africa’s Sahel region to 5,100, Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly said on Sunday, February 2. … “This is a major effort for the French Armed Forces: most of the reinforcements will be deployed in the so-called “three borders” zone between Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger,” Parly said.

Mali will increase the size of its army by about 50% in a recruitment drive this year aimed at uprooting jihadist groups, Prime Minister Boubou Cisse said on Wednesday.

France hopes “good sense” will prevail and the US will not slash support for French military operations in West Africa, where groups linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State are expanding their foothold. Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian made the appeal as Defence Minister Florence Parly was due to meet US counterparts to discuss the crisis in the Sahel.