Mali

Sweden’s government on Monday said it had decided to send troops to Mali to join French-led special forces that are fighting militants linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State in the Sahel region of North Africa. The Social Democrat and Green coalition said that Sweden would contribute a rapid reaction force of up to 150 troops and helicopters as part of international efforts to boost security in the region.

Attacks carried out by Islamist militants against military personnel in central Mali could hamper government efforts to start a dialogue process with jihadist groups in the country, experts say. On Sunday, at least six Malian soldiers were killed and a dozen wounded when jihadist militants attacked their checkpoint in the town of Mondoro in central Mali, local officials said.

The African Union (AU) has announced the temporary deployment of a 3,000-strong force in West Africa's Sahel region where countries have struggled to combat multiple armed groups amid a swiftly deteriorating security situation.

With violence wreaking havoc across the country, authorities in Mali are now looking for new avenues to reach a settlement with Islamist insurgents operating in the northern part of the West African country. Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita recently said that his government was ready to hold talks with the main jihadist leaders in the country.

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.