British troops have completed their first operational patrol with the UN’s Mali peacekeeping mission.

The Ministry of Defence say that the 300-strong UK task group deployed to Mali in December to “help the UN keep the peace and protect civilians”.

The British contingent brings a highly specialised reconnaissance capability to the multinational mission, they added.

Today, some 200 personnel from the task group travelled 50km from their base in 60 vehicles during their first operational patrol. The troops met local people and spent several days “outside the wire” before returning to camp.

Back in December, we covered the movement of troops to the country.

RAF transports British Army troops to Mali

Lieutenant Colonel Tom Robinson, Commanding Officer Light Dragoons, was quoted as saying:

“The 300 strong Light Dragoon task group is joining over 14,000 peacekeepers from 56 Nations as part of this challenging UN mission in Mali to help protect the people from violence and support political dialogue. We bring years of experience on operations, first class equipment and exceptional people. We’ve trained hard for the last year to make that we are ready for this challenging mission. We’re proud to be the first British soldiers to join in this team effort to help combat instability in the Sahel.”

Many readers will be aware of the ongoing air-transport support British forces are providing to France. The deployment of Royal Air Force Chinooks began in 2018.

British airpower continues to assist French operations in Mali

This new mission is separate to the ongoing RAF operation that has three Chinook helicopters conducting combat support operations as part of the French coalition that is conducting counter insurgency operation in Mali.

George Allison
George Allison
George has a degree in Cyber Security from Glasgow Caledonian University and has a keen interest in naval and cyber security matters and has appeared on national radio and television to discuss current events. George is on Twitter at @geoallison
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49 COMMENTS

      • I think they are pretty cool. Just not built for an European climate. Can you imagine running around Catterick in one of those?

        • M113s were not safe in any way shape or form if hit by a mine or IED, RPG etc and the blokes preferred to be blown off the vehicle (And hope to get less injuries) than getting smashed about inside an armoured shell. However armoured protection and design has improved massively, and the vast majority of modern soldiers stay inside their wagons in any contact, as they are more likely to survive. We are only using open topped wagons as it’s a cheap way of equipping light forces. Be aware these boys are armoured recce and replaced light armoured vehicles (admittedly shit ones) with these bad boys. This is more to do with cost than effect. Trust me, you don’t want to be hit by an IED in one of these, yes you can get blown out but not always, and on the way out, into the sky, your legs and body hit so much shit especially if your the gunner at the rear you are basically shredded and dead. We need to get a grip and replace like for like, light armour for modern light armour.

        • I understand that whilst getting further away from mines was part of the reason, the main benefit seen by US troops in Vietnam of riding on top was improved situational awareness. Spotting an enemy from inside in the types of terrain most frequently encountered was almost impossible.
          In Mali, the Jackal should be ideal for the mission.

      • Denmark ,ozzies, US, Estonia, Norway all use the export version of the Coyote which is the 6 wheel version of jackal, Airborne would know how good the jackal is for sure.

        • Daniele is right insofar they are good stable weapon platform but, they have replaced light armour, and in a European theatre I belive light armour in the recce role is more useful, and as ever we are trading capability for cost. When we first got these in Afghan they were a decent step change from the bloody WMIK (I also used to sit on 4 sandbags in a WMIK). They were a bit more survivable than a WMIK, lots more space and like I said a stable weapon platform with a bit more height. I liked them. However once I was given a Vector….that refusal to use it and any others for our teams almost made me quickly move back down the ranks lol but that’s another story! Cheers all.

          • Isn’t a huge part of the problem if you like that protection demands have skyrocketed? From Scimitar at 8-10 tons to Ajax at 40+ carrying out the same role, what would you even define light armour as these days. From just a quick read it seems there’s been problems and issues with every protected mobility vehicle we’ve had and somehow I don’t think outfitting the entire Army with Boxer is likely.
            Also you mention the European theatre specifically, I hate to be a downer but if something serious kicked off would we be much use?

          • True as improved protection always comes at the cost of heavier platforms, but thats across the board and all countries will have the same issue. As for European kick off, we have key platforms and capabilities which most of the other European allies either dont have or have limited amounts of that asset. I believe we should play on our strengths and the landlocked NATO countries concentrate on providing most of the heavies.Yes we would be a minimal player if it comes to providing an Armoured Bde, but then again it would take us ages to get them there, as we dont have enough HETs etc, and we would need a decent amount of “build up” prior to conflict. Cheers.

          • Could we really only deploy a single armoured brigade in the event of serious conflict in Eastern Europe? If we truly do have 227 deployable CR2, could we not deploy a division of two brigades, at least, ie about what we fielded in Gulf War 1?

      • All very well for SF roles behind the lines but these have replaced Regiments of Scimitar in regular RAC Regiments.

        • Exactly, as ever mate we are trading capability for cost. I liked these I Afghan, so much better than a WMIK, but, let’s not think these are the best, they were better than we had but still not good enough. As you say, these replaced armoured recce and in most theatres light armoured recce is preferable.

      • It does seem odd that after all the lessons that should have been learnt, our troops are still using vehicles with almost no protection against small arms fire. I read the aim is that they are fast and use that to get out of harm’s way but that was the excuse used for the snatch land rovers also. Ok they have been protection against IED but some better side armour to protect the crew seems odd to be missing.

        • They have their place in the list of platforms which are required by the military, but its all about deploying the right asset to the right job mate.

  2. God I hate that crappy blue pile of crap on our peoples head. All it does is make the job harder, by allowing far to many “descison makers” in the chain. UN, pile of crap! Anyway, aside from that, keep that ECM working boys FFS!

    • There should be a law that says no British or American soldiers will ever wear the blue UN hemet. It literally stands for sitting on your ass, collecting a paycheck and doing nothing.

    • A little harsh, mate. I did a UNFICYP tour in ’81. We did effectively keep the peace between the north and the south of the island. Granted, that the UN missions in conflict zones in other parts of the world have a very mixed reputation.

  3. So we have British Forces in Mali (RAF), assisting the French conduct combat operations, and we have British Forces in Mali (Army) conducting Peace Keeping operations. I don’t think the bad guys will differentiate.

  4. I had a ten-minute tirade by an Indian General along time ago for returning fire when I was fired at. Keep your heads down lads please and remember the lawers back home.

    • I only ever met an Indian General in Sierra Leone. I hope it wasn’t him. He was running the UN deployment at the time and I managed to get to work for a few days with the Indian Army Gurkhas. (Top Goat Curry!) .

      His COS was a UK Army Col from the Army Air Corp. We were told by him don’t look or stare at the General he is self conscious about his appearance. The General had alopecia and had painted on his eyebrows and wore the worst fitting syrup I have ever seen. The Col stood behind the General the whole time smirking at us as we all tried to ignore the Generals comically horrendous appearance. .

  8. None of our business to be there! Mali never attacked us nor attacked British interest, its not near us geographically. I can assure you by the time British forces leave there, more people from there will just hate us, who maybe didn’t even know much about the UK. This is doing France neo colonism bidding which I think is dangerous. This about French firms securing land to steal resources. Sucking up to France never bears fruit. British soldiers should not be in harms way cheaply ✌️

    • You could be right James….a flying saucer has just landed in my back yard. The little green men inside claim to be from Calais. I suspect that they are Trump supporters!

    • Mate, everything you said was wrong!

      1. In the SE and recently discovered NE of the country are large Uranium deposits. Not only do they feed French reactors, but most of those in Europe. It is mostly in the form of Uraninite and Uranyl Tricarbonites. The average ore grade is around 19% which is relatively high. The Gao area has a very high level of background radiation as mineral deposits can be found on the ground surface. Granted it would be very difficult for terrorists to use these minerals to make weapons grade Uranium. However, it can be adequately refined enough to make enough material to make dirty bombs. It is in everybody’s interest, to make sure these areas do not fall into terrorist hands.
      2. Much like Chad, as a former colony, Mali asked France to help intervene against insurrection emanating from the Tuaregs in the North, Then Islamic Fanaticism east of the Country quickly swept West. The local Malian forces were losing control of the country. With Frances aid most of the country was recaptured from the insurrectionists, this was OP Serval (2012 – 2014).
      3. The United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission (MINUSMA) in Mali was established on 25 April 2013, whose agenda is to support political processes in Mali and carry out a number of security-related tasks, such as training local police and military. This is a separate operation to OP Burkhane. How this plays with last year’s military coup is a good guess. But the UK forces mentioned above are part of the UN mission, not Op Burkhane. There is very good evidence to suggest the coup was perhaps not instigated but definitely helped by Russian involvement. The majority of the leaders who took part in the coup were photographed prior at a meeting in neighbouring Niger with Russian officials. In the protests leading up to coup, people could be spotted waving Russian flags and displaying signs with “help us Russia!” on them. As they say, the great game continues! Russia is trying to counter the moves made recently by China in Africa.
      4. Op Burkhane is a continuation of the fight against ISIS and Al Qaeda. The majority of fighters who escaped the Syrian/Iraq fighting moved to Libya. They have spread out from there to the Sahel regions of Mali, Chad, Niger, Burkina Faso and Mauritania. These fighters have brought their methods and knowledge of warfare to the region. Just before Xmas, Gao experienced a suicide bomber. These “fighters” are hiding out in the mountainous regions in the East of the country. Along with France and the UK. Estonia, Germany, Denmark, Canada and Holland have supported Op Burkhane.
      5. The G5 Sahel Joint Force (G5 Sahel JF) was created by member states of the G5 Sahel group – Mali, Mauretania, Burkina Faso, Niger and Chad, in 2017. Their aim is to combat terrorism, enhance border control, prevent trafficking and restore state authority, as well as to facilitate humanitarian operations along with the implementation of development actions, such as infrastructure building, i.e. metallised roads. The G5 group have an agreement with the Op Burkhane forces. Which allows them to follow, intercept and mount strikes against terrorist groups operating in their respective countries, i.e. crossing borders. The G5 are trained by the French and station a number of troops within each other’s countries

      Here we have a life decision. Whereby, we are either passive or active. A passive role is where you hide in your country and let what is happening in others play there course. Hoping what trouble that occurs there does not interfere with their way of life or land on their doorstep, safe in the knowledge that any trouble has to get past the rest of Europe and the Channel first. Once the country has fallen into chaos and emerged as a Sharia Nation, you can probably ignore the persecution of women and those who don’t meet the ideals of Sharia, as that is another Nation’s right to rule their people how they want. An active role is the polar opposite. You go to where help is needed and punch the bully in the throat. You actively help prevent trafficking and try to help the Country get back on its feet. It is not a quick fix, as you have to get through generations of bigotry and hatred. But in the end if you can help one little girl go to school without fear of being beaten or kidnapped, then is it not worth it?

      • Agreed, I am personally of the opinion that one should help when one can. That applies at both a personal and national level.
        But if we want to look at it in a purely self-interested fashion: Active involvement in the international community delivers global political influence, which can translate in any number of ways. That is why the cold war didn’t remain in Europe, that is why Russia and China are now involved in Africa and elsewhere (not just in economic and trade terms). You only have to look at 4 years of Trump’s isolationist policies of withdrawing from international agreements and drawing down on troop deployments, what has that done to diminish America’s global voice? I would say it is significant, although not irrecoverable.

    • It is not a colonial issue. The French (and British) are there at the request of the Malian Government to help drive insurgents out of the country. They are helping protect the population from pretty brutal terrorists and the people are happy that they are doing so. This is not Iraq or Afganistan… Also we should be helping one of our closest military allies, there is nothing wrong with that.

      • I don’t think that anybody in Africa thinks that France is there to save Malians from some warlords. France has no business in Mali. Wherever they are in Africa have caused environmental disasters , sponsored coups , propup dictators that allow them to legally steal natural resources. French colonialsm never left Africa. France Is very much disliked by the new generation of Africans who are better educated of their games which is why France is panicking and having a summit with African youth rather than its leaders. That said the Turks are giving them a big headache in Libya Niger and Mali recently who are popular amongst the populations.

    • Agree. Unless ISIS or AlQaeda are in Mali? In which case go in kill them and get out. No enduring commitment to a French colonial mission.

      • Reality check? All you guys do is suck up to the French who pretty much are arrogant towards Britain . France has always been selfish policy wise .British soldiers and our tax payers money should not serve french failed neo colonism attempts. No No No! Britain should have its own Africa foreign policy that engages Africa on equal terms win win strategy unlike other actors or we risk being tainted by the French who have a horrible reputation there that everyone jokes about In the fastest growing region of the planet

        • It is not Colonialism!!!! Please read the history of the conflict and maybe take in some facts rather than just making things up!

          France are one of our biggest allies and not only that it benefits us for terrorism and radicalism to be stamped out and for African countries to be stable and productive.

          Now France may well have a bad rep in some places in Africa but on this one they were specifically asked to help by the Government and the people are happy that there are soldiers there to protect them against the brutal Insurgents that have almost zero support in the country.

  9. Modern day long range desert group. Least that is what they look like.
    Probably fit for purpose. High mobility, excellent visibility. Splattering of automatic weapons. About right for this mission.

  10. Lt Colonel Tom Robinson – I hope they sing “2-4-6-8 Motorway” as they head in to battle don’t think “sing if you’re glad to be gay” would have the same impact

  11. A Light Cavalry Regiment doing what it is designed to do, and the Jackal is a vehicle well suited to operate in that environment. Great to see expeditionary operations taking place again.

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