Germany Suspends Military Mission In Mali

Germany has suspended most of its operations in Mali after the local military-led government denied flyover rights to a United Nations peacekeeping mission.

A spokesman for the German defence ministry said on Friday; “The Malian government has once again refused to give flyover rights to a flight planned for today.

"In response, Germany had decided to suspend until further notice the operations of our reconnaissance forces and CH-53 transport flights."

Government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit also said Germany was prepared in principle to participate in an international peacekeeping mission, but only if this was supported by the Malian government.

Mali, with its population of about 20 million, has experienced three military coups since 2012 and is considered extremely unstable.

Since the most recent coup in May 2021, the country has been led by a military transitional government that is said to maintain close relations with Russia.

The loss of flyover rights came shortly after Mali banned foreign troops, including those from Germany, from a section of the capital’s airport that houses a UN base.