The government has decided to withdraw its troops from Mali following several days of accusations from the Malian military government.
The Malian government reiterated its desire for Denmark to pull out of the west African country last night, according to foreign minister Jeppe Kofod.
The decision to withdraw came in the wake of a meeting in Parliament.
Denmark has about 90 soldiers and a team of surgeons in Mali as part of the French-led Takuba Task Force, which aims to tackle terrorism in the country.
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Original story
The group of Danish troops recently deployed to Mali to help the French-led Task Force Takuba tackle terrorism, may be returning home sooner than planned.
Mali’s military government has contended that the Danish troops should leave as they are in the country without legal grounds or consent, something that foreign minister Jeppe Kofod vehemently denies.
And despite France and a number of other allies having voiced support to Denmark in the matter, Dansk Folkeperti (DF) and Socialistisk Folkeparti (SF) want the government to pull out the troops. Radikale’s support for the mission is also teetering on the brink.
“If we are not welcome, then we need to go home. It’s not an invasion-like mission we are part of,” SF’s spokesperson on defence matters, Anne Valentina Berthelsen, told TV2 News.
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New leaders, new problems
Since DF, SF and Radikale all voted in favour of sending troops to Mali in May 2021, a number of problematic developments have taken place, including a military coup last year.
Then in December 2021, Kofod criticised the new government’s decision to hire foreign mercenaries from the notorious Russian company, the Wagner Group.
Aside from Denmark and France, countries like the Netherlands, Sweden, Italy, Belgium and Hungary are also taking part in Task Force Takuba.
Denmark has maintained a military presence in Mali and the embattled Sahel Region in some shape or form since 2014.
