Stockholm, March 16, 2020 – The Swedish government plans to send up to 150 soldiers to Mali to support a French military initiative combining special force troops from different countries. “The government has decided to put a bill to parliament… for Swedish participation” in the joint unit, the foreign ministry said in a statement. The French initiative, named Operation Takuba, aims to get military special forces from several countries accompanying Malian troops into combat. “Swedish aid should consist of a helicopter-borne rapid reaction force of a maximum 150 men,” the ministry stated. A French anti-insurgency operation in the conflict-wracked Sahel region, Operation Barkhane, is being extended to make way for the European force, Operation Takuba.

Source: The North Africa Journal March 16, 2020 16:30 UTC