For ten years, a Spanish contingent has been part of the European Union training mission in Mali, EUTM-Mali for its acronym in English. A total of 140 soldiers are employed in six-month missions to train local troops to achieve stable democratic operation. And since before the war in Ukraine they knew and cared about the Wagner mercenaries, but now that they have challenged Putin, much more.
This was confirmed yesterday by the Defense Minister, Margarita Robles, after visiting the National Joint Office of the NGWS/FCAS Program (future combat aircraft) in Indra. "It is important to see the evolution of events in Africa, especially in the Sahel, where Spain has troops," explained the minister when asked about how she experienced the threat of Wagner's leader against Putin over the weekend. "We followed it with concern and a lot of prudence," she summed up. Because between a thousand and two thousand Yevgeni Prigozhin's militiamen live and collaborate with the local government in Mali.
But to get to this situation, of Spanish soldiers in the country and Russian militiamen, you have to go back a decade. Mali has experienced an escalation of violence in recent years despite the international presence. The country, which belongs to the Sahel, faced a black year in 2012, when the Touareg rebels together with the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad -with a large presence of jihadists-, rose up against the central power and took over the northern region of the country. in a few months. While their expansion was taking place and the Azawad declared the area they controlled independent, Captain Sanogo staged a coup in the capital. The jihadists took advantage of the chaos to rearm, impose Sharia law in the north of the country and, in 2013, launch an offensive against Bamako. Sanogo asked for international help and France launched Operation Serval to help them stop the coup.
Since then, a contingent of the European Union has remained in Mali to safeguard the functioning of the institutions. It is a strategic country for Europe. However, the way in which François Hollande's executive sent 3,000 troops to fight the jihadists in Mali made part of the population uncomfortable, who saw the arrival of foreigners as chaos and war in the country. In addition, Malian politicians spread the rumor that France was stealing local gold, a hoax supported by Colonel Goita, responsible for a new coup in May 2021, which led to the entry of Wagner militiamen sponsored by Russia and who are increasingly advancing more in sub-Saharan Africa, extending its influence on the African continent until the crisis with Putin. Ironically, this private army helps local troops fight jihadism, just as the European training mission seeks stability in the country.
The pressure on France reached the point that Emmanuel Macron withdrew all his troops from Mali on August 16, leaving the rest of the European countries in a difficult situation, since the bases that France occupied are now a command bastion for the Wagners. who are in the area.
Spain wants to remain in Mali, where it has a preferential mission despite the fact that NATO forces are now focused on reinforcing the eastern flank. The national troops have been deployed until several weeks ago in Koulikoro, although they have recently withdrawn again to Bamako, where they carry out training work. Since last December, the Spanish General Ortiz-Repiso has been in charge of the international command of the mission, which, if it follows the plans approved by the Council of the European Union, will continue until May 24, 2024, the date on which the extension of the term expires. mandate. Now, the concern about what will happen to the Wagners in Mali is added to the rest of the local problems. In the invasion of Ukraine, Prigozhin's troops have placed themselves under Putin's command, however, it is not known what will happen in Mali and whether the failed Wagner coup in Moscow will end up affecting the delicate stability in the Sahel.
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