The troops’ hands have been tied since Friday: Without overflight rights, the Bundeswehr is unable to act in Mali – it cannot use drones for reconnaissance and cannot transport the injured. Why is the Malian government obstructing the German mission when it is helping in the fight against the jihadists? Africa expert Ulf Laessing, who is on site in Bamako for the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, explains what makes this mission so difficult and why it is so important at the same time.
ntv.de: In the past few weeks there have been more IS attacks in Mali. Now the Bundeswehr also had to stop its activities. How is the situation in Bamako?
Ulf Laessing: The situation here is not too uncertain at the moment, but many, especially diplomats, fear that the Islamists could soon carry out the first attack here too. I don’t see this danger yet, but that the terrorists are moving towards the capital from the north is already visible. They want to bring the fight here so the government will be forced to station more soldiers in Bamako.
In the meantime, Mali is getting more and more protection from the Russian side, and mercenaries from the notorious Wagner Group are said to be in the country. A problem for the western troops?
In January, the Russians began to expand here in Mali, and then the first restrictions soon came into force, because they don’t want to be observed by the UN troops or the reconnaissance of the German armed forces. Previously, the German troops had each received a blank overflight permit from the regime, which was valid for one month. Every single flight now has to be approved. Mali has acted with much greater self-confidence since the Russians came.
Last week there was no permit at all.
The Bundeswehr has stopped its reconnaissance and no longer flies rescue flights. The fact that everything has now been stopped until the overflight rights have been clarified will certainly also affect the Malians. Just last week, 22 wounded from a Malian garrison who had been attacked by the Islamic State were rescued. 24 people were killed, the wounded 22 were taken out by the Bundeswehr in a daring action with helicopters. The Malians will feel that they actually need the Bundeswehr.
The French were also important for the security situation. The last soldier just left the country yesterday. How does that work?
I suspect that the French troops’ container city is now being occupied by the Russians, because they have taken over every camp that the French had left. Of course, as a symbol, it has a pretty strong effect. You also have to share the airport with the Russians, so far the UN troops, the German armed forces and the French had protected it together. You can continue the mission here, but it will be much more uncomfortable.
How much will the French miss specifically?
The real challenge begins with their withdrawal, because up to now the Bundeswehr has relied heavily on the French, and their troops have also been able to keep the jihadists in check. The fact that there have been more attacks recently is also due to the fact that the French army was already less present. Relations between Mali and France had deteriorated enormously, but the French themselves also contributed to this.
In which form?
They are always quite dominant in their former colonies. Mali wanted to break away from this and spread its dependency across several states – hence the request for support from Russia. The French didn’t accept that, which is why earlier this year they were made the public scapegoat, responsible for everything that doesn’t work. Now the French are gone, now the regime needs a new enemy.
“We cannot remain militarily engaged alongside those in power whose strategy and hidden goals we do not approve of,” said French President Macron. Germany, on the other hand, can? And should it?
Macron was indeed part of the problem, it has to be said. It was with such statements that he drove the Malians to the side of the Russians. The constant verbal attacks during the election campaign have made the Malian government almost paranoid. And France also works with the military governments in Burkina Faso and Chad.
If the regime now needs a new enemy, are we witnessing how Germany is being chosen?
The UN’s entire Minusma mission is the most appropriate. It is intended to stabilize the north of the country, which is threatened by IS, but is often perceived by the population as inefficient. This narrative that the mission achieved nothing at all is being promoted by government supporters. It was the Malian state that failed. He didn’t bother to rebuild state power in the areas liberated by the French, to offer the people an alternative.
If we come back to the daring rescue operation for the 22 wounded Malians: Is such a success of the Bundeswehr known to the public?
No, and I think that’s a shame. The Bundeswehr didn’t publish this, I assume because of pressure from the government, which of course doesn’t want the population to find out about such actions. Germany is very considerate of the regime, but I think that successes like this should be dealt with more aggressively.
According to Defense Minister Lambrecht, the Bundeswehr will be busy securing itself for the time being. Will the mission then become pointless?
The UN troops are also active in the logistical area – supplying food and electricity – but the Germans’ care for the wounded was a very central element. The helicopters were supposed to be active for the entire Minusma, and the situation pictures by the German drones also had an important function. The fact that the Bundeswehr is now only doing its own security really paralyzes the entire UN mission. The UN soldiers will hardly go on patrol without a picture of the situation and in the knowledge that the Bundeswehr cannot rescue them in an emergency. The troops are practically blind at the moment and will hardly be active.
Berlin politicians are discussing whether the mission in Mali should be continued. What do you advocate?
It is clear that the mission will be significantly more difficult due to the Russians. On the other hand, one should ask oneself: do we want to pull out every time the Russians show up somewhere? That’s exactly their strategy – to be present here with 1000 people and to get the Western countries to withdraw. I cannot answer the question unequivocally. But under no circumstances should you pull out too abruptly without trying to talk to the regime again. Because it is in our interest to contain the threat posed by the jihadists. What happens here affects us directly, the region is our southern flank.
Frauke Niemeyer spoke to Ulf Laessing
