An Cosantóir

An Cosantóir March 2020 www.dfmagazine.ie 12 | BY COMDT GAVIN EGERTON, DEPUTY CHIEF INSTRUCTOR, EUTM MALI An Cosantóir March 2020 www.dfmagazine.ie 12 | I n early 2012 the West African country, and former French colony, Mali was plunged into an existential crisis when Tuareg rebels and the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA) came together to demand the creation of an independent Azawad state in the north and east of the country. After the regions of Kidal, Timbuktu, and Gao had fallen into rebel hands, a bloodless coup led by Malian junior officers and NCOs overthrew the government. Meanwhile, the Tuareg revolt was commandeered by Salafi-ji- hadists. Soon afterwards, the MNLA unilaterally declared independence of the Azawad region, and the subsequent introduction of Sharia law throughout Azawad resulted in a significant displacement of the civilian population as tens of thousands moved south or into neighbouring countries. In January 2013 a collective jihadist effort, primarily consisting of Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, Ansar Dine, and some affiliates launched an offensive from their northern strongholds, with Bamako, the capital, as their ultimate objective. In response, the French government intervened, launching Operation Serval to evict the terrorist armed groups from the north. Quite quickly, French troops, in co-operation with Malian and Chadian counter- parts, recaptured most of the northern regions. Within a few weeks the jihad- ists were overwhelmed, retreating and disap- pearing into the civilian population or fleeing to neighbouring countries. The UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisa- tion Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) was established in April 2013 with a force of 12,000 peacekeepers, and tasked with aiding the transitional authori- ties in Mali and supporting the political and peace processes. Prior to that, in December 2012, recognising the need to rebuild and develop his country's military, Mali's president had requested the EU to estab- lish and deploy a military training mission to Mali. In February 2013 EUTM Maliwas established, with an initial mandate to regenerate critical operational capacity in the Malian Armed Forces Sgt Vaughan Callan teaching firing from cover to MaAF students. Capt Adam Doyle, course leader, on the range with the Combat Shooting Instructor Course

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