A European military task force that helped Mali's government fight Islamic extremists has formally withdrawn from the West African country amid tensions with its ruling military junta.
The French military, which spearheaded the Takuba task force, announced on Friday that it officially ended its work on Thursday. The move was tied to France's decision earlier this year to withdraw troops from Mali after nine years helping Malian forces fight violent extremists who had threatened to seize power.
The Takuba force was composed of several hundred special forces troops from 10 countries: Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, and Sweden. It aimed at training and protecting Malian combat forces. Despite the withdrawal, the French military called the force a “strategic and tactical success” and an example of “what Europeans are able to achieve together in complex security environments", saying that lessons learned from Takuba could be used in future joint operations.
In announcing its pullout, France accused Mali's authorities of neglecting the fight against Islamic extremists. France is maintaining a military presence in neighbouring West African nations facing threats from extremist violence.