Operation Serval

Operation Serval

Part of: Conflict in Northern Mali (since 2012)

Situation in January 2013: The three regions Timbuktu , Kidal and Gao form the northern part of Mali known as Azawad, which Islamists claim as an independent territory.

date	January 11, 2013 to August 1, 2014
place	Azawad , Mali
Casus Belli	Jihadist offensive in southern Mali
output	Liberation of all important cities by French and Malian troops

Parties to the conflict
France Mali Chad Support from: Belgium Denmark Germany Italy Canada Russia Sweden Spain United Kingdom United States	Islamist guerrillas MUJAO AQMI Ansar Dine
Commander
Francois Hollande , President of France Admiral Édouard Guillaud chief of staff of the French army Général de corps d'armée Bertrand Clément-Bollée commander of the French Land Forces General de brigade Grégoire de Saint-Quentin commander of the operation serval Général de brigade Bernard Barrera commander of land operations in Mali Colonel Paul geze Commander of the French ground forces in Mali Colonel Frédéric Gout Commander of the French airmobile association Dioncounda Traoré President of Mali Colonel-Major Ibrahim Dahirou Dembele Chief of Staff of the Malian Army Captain Amadou Sanogo leader CNRDRE	Iyad Ag Ghaly Leader of Ansar Dine Abdel Kojak Crimea † Deputy. Leader of Ansar Dine Omar Ould Hamaha Leader of MUJAO Abu Musab Abdel Wadoud Leader of AQMI Abou Zeid Leader of AQMI in the Diabaly area Mokhtar Belmokhtar Leader of AQMI
Troop strength
Forces Armées et de Sécurité du Mali Armed Forces of Chad 2,000 soldiers in Mali 1 infantry regiment 2 support battalions French Armed Forces 3,500 soldiers in Mali 1,100 soldiers in bases in West Africa outside Mali Armée de terre 1st REC 2nd RIMa (one company ) 3e RIMa 21e RIMa 3rd RPIMa 1er RHP 2 REP (a reinforced company) 1er RCP (two companies) 17e RGP 92e RI (two mech. Companies) 126e RI (one company) RICM (an escadron) 68e RAA (one battery ) 3e RAMa (one battery) 11e RAMa (one battery) 6e RG (one company) 31e RG (one company) 7e RMAT 511e RT 5e RHC Commandement des opérations spéciales BFST 4e RHFS Armée de l'air 2 Mirage F1 CR 6 Mirage 2000D 4 Rafale 5 C-135FR 2 Harfang 1 Airbus A400M Marine national 5 ATL-2 Helicopter carrier Dixmude Royal Air Force 2 C-17 Globemaster III 1 Sentinel R1 Royal Canadian Air Force / Aviation royale du Canada 1 C-17 Globemaster III United States Air Force 5 C-17 Globemaster III KC-135 Stratotanker Luchtcomponent / Composante air 2 C-130H Hercules 2 A109 MEDEVAC air force 3 C-160 ESS Transall 1 Airbus A310 MRTT 330 soldiers ( engineers , paramedics , supporters) Danish Air Force 1 C-130J Hercules Ejército del Aire 1 C-130 Hercules	Islamist guerrillas 5,000 to 10,000 fighters of the Ansar Dine 1,000 fighters from the AQMI 500 fighters of the MUJAO
losses
Mali : approx. 150 dead 61 wounded  France : 1 dead pilot 1 dead legionnaire 4 more dead soldiers  Chad : 38 dead 84 wounded	Islamist guerrillas at least 500 dead
Civilians: at least 11 dead, at least 30,000 people on the run

The operation serval was an operation of the French forces in Mali at the request of the local government and with the approval of the United Nations (Resolution 2085 of the UN Security Council of 20 December 2012). The official aim of the operation was to assist the Malian army in stopping, pushing back and eliminating militant Islamists from the Azawad who had begun an advance into central Mali. The operation was also intended to ensure the safety of approximately 6,000 French civilians in the country. The uncertain situation in Mali also affected France's economic interests, as Mali and neighboring Niger have important mineral resources. The operation was named after the serval , a species of medium-sized, wild, small African cats . The Opération Serval was followed by the Opération Barkhane , a French-led military mission since August 1, 2014.

background

→ Main article : Conflict in Northern Mali (since 2012)

After an influx of arms into Mali as a result of the civil war in Libya in January 2012 , Tuareg tribesmen from the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA) began a rebellion against the Malian government. In April 2012, the MNLA announced that it had achieved its goal, ended the offensive against the government and declared Azawad's independence . In June 2012, however, the MNLA came into conflict with the Islamist groups Ansar Dine and Movement for Unity and Jihad in West Africa (MUJAO) after the Islamists began to enforce Sharia law in Azawad. By July 17, 2012, MUJAO and Ansar Dine had forcibly displaced the MNLA from all major cities. On September 1, 2012, Douentza , a town in the Mopti region under the control of the Ganda Iso militia, was captured by the MUJAO. On November 28, 2012, Ansar Dine sold the MNLA from Léré, a small town in Niafunké County in the Timbuktu region .

At its meeting on December 20, 2012, the United Nations Security Council dealt with the situation in Mali. He passed resolution 2085 , which legitimized an African-led international support mission in Mali .

trigger

By January 10, 2013, the situation of the Malian army visibly worsened after several months of military conflict. That day the rebels managed to take the small town of Konna ; they then moved towards the strategically important city of Mopti , which gives access to the capital Bamako . The President of the Malian interim government, Dioncounda Traoré , then made an official request to France for military support to prevent the jihadist offensive . As a result of the French colonial policy in West Africa , which lasted until the 1960s, Mali is heavily influenced by the former colonial power and the French-speaking neighboring countries, not least because of the common language.

The French President François Hollande immediately complied with this request, as he announced a day later. The French army intervened in Mali since the afternoon of January 11, 2013. The French parliament dealt with the military operation on January 14. It was the first foreign deployment of French troops since Hollande's inauguration in May 2012.

Operational objectives

On the evening of January 11, 2013, Hollande announced that French soldiers had been actively involved in the fighting in Mali, West Africa, since that afternoon. The aim is to support the government troops in Mali in the fight against “ terrorist elements”. He noted that this mission would last as long as necessary.

On January 13, the French Foreign Minister, Laurent Fabius , told the press that the intervention would be "a matter of weeks".

On January 15, Hollande said at a press conference in Dubai that French troops would not leave Mali and end the operation until Mali was safe and had a legitimate order and electoral process. In addition, the terrorists should no longer jeopardize the territorial integrity of Mali. When asked what happens to rebels who are about to confront French troops, he replied, “You ask what will we do if we find the terrorists? They destroy. Capture if possible. And make sure that they do not pose a threat in the future. "

Hollande identified three main objectives of the operation:

• Stop the terrorist attack,
• Securing Bamako and the several thousand French citizens living there,
• To enable Mali to restore its territorial integrity with the help of AFISMA , which is supported by the French .

On January 20, the French Defense Minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian , declared that the aim of the Opération Serval was to completely end all Islamist control over parts of the country.

In addition to the officially stated goals of the military intervention, journalists, environmentalists and peace activists believe that France's economic interests also played an essential role in the intervention. The French energy company Areva mines uranium in neighboring Niger , which is required for the operation of French nuclear power plants. Uranium deposits are also suspected in Mali itself. Mali should also have the mineral oil, gold, diamond and phosphorus, which are also important for France.

Force dispositive

The French armed forces benefited from the military bases they had in West Africa for other operations in setting up and deploying an emergency force for Mali.

On January 14, it was announced that the French armed forces in Mali would be increased to 2,500 soldiers in the following days.

date	Troop strength in Mali
15. January	800
January 17th	1400
January 18th	1800
January 19th	2000
21th January	2150
22nd of January	2300
January 24th	2400

air force

The French Air Force used two Mirage F1 CR reconnaissance aircraft from Reconnaissance Wing 2/33 Savoie from Mont-de-Marsan and six Mirage 2000D fighter aircraft , which were part of the French military operation Épervier in Chad and in the military part of N'Djamena airport were stationed. In order to benefit from the scheduled rotation of the Mirage 2000D, it was decided to postpone the return of the jet fighters to France and to remain in N'Djamena. In addition, the Air Force deployed three C-135FR tanker aircraft and one C-130 Hercules and Transall C-160 transport aircraft for logistical support from this base .

On January 13, four warplanes flew the type Rafale hunting seasons 1/7 Provence and 30.2 Normandie-Niemen (three version B and a version C) from the military airfield Saint-Dizier-Robinson over the previously released airspace of Algeria to attack targets near the city of Gao in Mali . The Rafale then continued the flight to N'Djamena with the two C-135FR tanker aircraft accompanying them and were to remain stationed there for the duration of the conflict.

For the supply, France chartered two cargo planes of the type Antonov An-124 -100, which belong to the Russian Air Force , in addition to other transport aircraft of the Russian Volga-Dnepr Airlines . They arrived on January 14 at the Évreux Air Base (Évreux-Fauville Air Base) and have been transporting containers, supplies and military equipment ever since.

By January 17, 2013, the French Air Force relocated two of the four available reconnaissance drones of the type Harfang des Escadron de reconnaissance 1/33 Belfort to the Sahel zone. The unit was stationed in the capital of Niger , Niamey , some 700 kilometers from the disputed area. In addition, armed MQ-9 drones have been available since the end of 2013 .

The largest aircraft in the world, the Antonov An-225 , was used for logistics. At the end of December 2013, the A400M Atlas was also used for the first time in Mali.

marine

In Dakar in Senegal stationed patrol aircraft of the type Breguet Atlantic 2 of the French Navy were used for reconnaissance and intelligence gathering. According to media reports, five aircraft of this type have been used since January 18.

The Dixmude , a helicopter carrier the Mistral class , was born on 21 January at the Military port of Toulon with 130 armored vehicles and two companies of the 92e RI loaded and took off on the same day. On January 28, the ship docked in Dakar, Senegal. The battle group, consisting of 500 soldiers, was deposed in Dakar and gathered at Camp Bel Air. On February 1, this battle group continued its journey to Bamako by land and arrived there on February 5.

Ground troops

French troops in Bamako (January 18, 2013)

The following French ground troops were deployed immediately:

• an armored train of the 1st régiment étranger de cavalerie (1st REC) made of orange
• a company of the 21e regiment d'infanterie de marine (21e RIMa) from Fréjus
• a company of the 2nd regiment d'infanterie de marine (2nd RIMa) from Auvours

The armored platoon of the 1er REC and the company of the 21e RIMa were also part of Operation Épervier in Chad and were transferred to Bamako on January 11th and 12th using the transport aircraft stationed in N'djamena .

The company of the 2e RIMa was part of the Guépard Reserve, which was kept permanently in readiness in its home country, and was relocated on January 12 from Roissy to Bamako by means of Airbus A310 and A340 transport aircraft of the Escadron de transport 3/60 Estérel .

The military equipment of the 2e RIMa as well as its vehicles - reconnaissance tanks of the type ERC-90 Sagaie as well as transport tanks of the type VAB and armored vehicles of the type VBL - were brought to the country of deployment by the Royal Air Force since January 13th .

Reinforcement by units from Operation Licorne

On January 12, a sous-groupement interarmées (SGTIA) called task force was assembled from troops stationed in the Ivory Coast and participating in the Licorne operation . This military convoy comprised the following units:

• a company of the 3rd regiment de parachutistes d'infanterie de marine (3rd RPIMa) from Carcassonne
• Soldiers of the one ^he régiment de hussards parachutistes (1er RHP) from Tarbes
• Soldiers of the 17th regiment du génie parachutiste (17th RGP) from Montauban

The convoy, consisting of almost 200 soldiers and 60 armored vehicles, including the ERC-90 Sagaie , started marching on January 12, 2013, by land in the direction of Bamako . The military column from Abidjan, accompanied by a helicopter as escort, passed the Pogo border post near Ferkessédougou in the north of the Ivory Coast and crossed the border near the Malian city of Zégoua in the Kadiolo district . At around 4 a.m. on January 15, after having covered a distance of 1,210 kilometers, the military vehicles reached the capital Bamako and thus increased the French forces already stationed in Mali to around 800 soldiers.

Reinforcement by armored units

From January 17th to 19th it gradually became known that the following additional armored formations were moving to Mali:

• a company (150-200 soldiers) of the Régiment d'Infanterie Chars de Marine (RICM) from Poitiers with reconnaissance tanks AMX-10 RC as well as VAB and VBL
• 1st / and 4th / company of the 92ème Régiment d'Infanterie (92 RI) from Clermont-Ferrand with 20 VBCI armored personnel carriers
• 80 soldiers with 20 vehicles of the 126e regiment d'infanterie (126e RI) from Brive-la-Gaillarde
• 150 soldiers of the 7e régiment du matériel (7e RMAT) from Lyon

The units were brought to the crisis region by sea using the Dixmude .

According to the Commander of the Land Forces (Commandement des forces terrestres), Lieutenant General Bertrand Clément-Bollée, when the situation worsened, a GTIA could be sent to Mali, which, among other things, consisted of three VBCI-equipped companies, an armored train with Leclerc- type battle tanks as well as artillery support existed. According to media reports, there are four Leclerc tanks - the first spare parts are to be kept ready in the region.

Reinforcement by support units

On the following days, the following transfers of support units became known:

• a company of the 6e regiment du génie (6e RG) from Angers
• 100 soldiers of the 511e regiment du train (511e RT) from Auxonne
• 250 soldiers of the 68e régiment d'artillerie d'Afrique (68e RA) from La Valbonne
• the fourth battery of the 11e régiment d'artillerie de marine (11e RAMa) from Saint-Aubin-du-Cormier

The artillery regiments were equipped with the CAESAR artillery gun , the TRF1 field gun and a 120 mm mortar .

Reinforcement by airborne units

On January 24th, the 2nd company of the 2nd régiment étranger de parachutistes (2nd REP) from Calvi / Corsica was transferred to Abidjan in the Ivory Coast by air transport.

The 200 legionnaires of the 2nd Paratrooper Regiment of the Foreign Legion jumped over Timbuktu on January 28, 2013 at 00:30 (Paris time) and occupied the airport. The 2nd Company was reinforced by a platoon of the 1st Company (local and house combat specialists), as well as the anti-tank platoon ( Section antichar ) of the reconnaissance and support company ( Compagnie Ericlage et Appui - CEA ) and parts of the special forces of the GCP, which is also part of the CEA ( Groupement Commando Parachutistes ).

Special forces

According to media reports, members of the 1er régiment de parachutistes d'infanterie de marine (1er RPIMa) were deployed in Mali . This special unit belongs to the Brigade des forces spéciales terre (BFST), which is subordinate to the Commandement des opérations spéciales (COS).

The presence of the COS in the Sahel zone is also called Operation Saber , which is carried out with the express support of the countries involved. The headquarters of this operation is located in a military base near the capital of Burkina Faso , Ouagadougou . The special forces of the COS are also stationed in Mauritania, Niger and Mali. In addition to reconnaissance and intelligence gathering, their task is primarily to train and support the African armies that are setting up an intervention force for Mali. They are equipped with vehicles of the types P4 , VLRA and VPS , among others .

In addition, parts of the French army aviation force Aviation légère de l'armée de terre (ALAT) were deployed in Mali . This is the 4e régiment d'hélicoptères des forces spéciales (4e RHFS), which is also subordinate to the BFST . The unit is normally also stationed at the military base near the city of Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso with two Gazelle helicopters . On January 14, an additional 200 soldiers and a dozen helicopters, including two to three Eurocopter Tiger HAP attack helicopters, eight Gazelle helicopters and four Cougar helicopters , were part of the 5e régiment d'hélicoptères de combat (5e RHC) the Guépard alarm reserve mobilized in France and relocated to Mali from January 15.

On January 20, the deployment of more than 200 commandos in Mali, mostly in the Diabaly area, was confirmed. Their main task was to gather intelligence, reconnaissance, mark targets for air strikes and advise the Malian army.

Satellites

Since December 2012, the Franco-Italian Earth observation satellite Pléiades -1B was in its orbit and was used as a reconnaissance satellite .

Course of the military intervention

January

January 10, 2013

According to a reporter, the first landings of French Transalls, which transported special forces (20 to 30 people) along with their equipment and vehicles, took place on the evening of January 10th on the airfield of Sévaré . The special forces secured the airfield and set up a command post.

January 11, 2013

According to media reports, the special forces landed in Sévaré on January 10, divided into eight teams with the Malian army against the Islamists on Friday and supported them primarily with functional command and communication structures.

Helicopter SA 342M Gazelle of the 4th RHFS (photo 2001)

Officially, the French military operation began at 16:00 on 11 January 2013, two Gazelle helicopters, armed with HOT missiles and 20 mm machine guns, the Army Aviation Corps of the French Army ( 4e Régiment d'Hélicoptères des Forces Spéciales ) derived from a 200 vehicle convoy of 1200 rebels attacked near Sévaré . The attack led to the destruction of four enemy vehicles and the withdrawal of the enemy unit. The French pilot Lieutenant Damien Boiteux was wounded when his attack helicopter came under fire from handguns; he later succumbed to his serious injuries. His copilot was able to fly the helicopter back to the base, the helicopter was written off as a loss. The second helicopter involved in the attack was so badly damaged that the crew had to make an emergency landing. She destroyed her helicopter and was picked up by a rescue team.

On the night of January 11-12, four Mirage 2000Ds operated by the Air Force belonging to Opération Épervier in Chad flew from the N'Djamena base on targets in the north of the country. The fighter planes were supported by two C135 tanker planes in order to be able to carry out these missions.

January 12, 2013

The French air force attacked a group of insurgents advancing on the city of Mopti. With the French air support, the Malian government troops advanced to Konna again, but, contrary to initial reports, were initially unable to recapture the city.

On the second day of Operation Serval, the Mirage 2000D continued to air strikes from N'Djamena on rebels in the Konna, Douentza and Léré areas. In addition, a headquarters of Ansar Dine and their leader Iyag Ag Ghaly in the city of Kidal was bombed. These attacks continued through the night of January 13 and the next day.

January 13, 2013

On the morning of January 13, four Rafale took off from Base Aérienne 113 Saint-Dizier-Robinson (France) and crossed the cleared Algerian airspace together with two C-135FR tanker aircraft. The fighter planes attacked the airport, training centers and supply facilities of the rebels in the vicinity of the MUJAO-controlled city of Gao in eastern Mali and then relocated to Chad. According to residents, all Islamist bases in the region were destroyed in the attack and dozens of people died. Furthermore, 30 vehicles and four tanks of the rebels were destroyed.

The French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian announced about this action: "There were air strikes last night, there are now and will be today and tomorrow." Fearing further air strikes, surviving MUJAO rebels left the city of Gao and fighters of the Ansar Dine the historic city of Timbuktu .

Two helicopters also attacked Islamist positions, according to a report.

The French army was surprised by the quality and equipment of the opponents facing them. As a servant at the Élysée Palace put it: “At first we thought they were just a lot of guys with guns driving around in their pickups, but the truth is that they are well trained, well equipped and well armed. In Libya they were able to find a lot of modern, sophisticated equipment that is much more robust and effective than we would have thought. "

January 14, 2013

Since the night of January 13, the French Air Force has continued its flight movements with 20 air missions, including a dozen with Mirage 2000D and Rafale fighter jets based in Chad. These missions included the destruction of a dozen primary targets in the cities of Diabaly and Douentza .

As early as dawn, Ansar Dine and AQMI fighters launched a counter-offensive and, after bitter fighting with the Malian army, captured the town of Diabaly in the Niono district , around 400 km northeast of the capital Bamako and near the border with Mauritania. The Malian army then had to withdraw. The rebels tried meanwhile to move further south to Ségou . This attack by the rebels led to a shift in the front - the front ran not only along the Léré-Konna-Douentza line, but also in the southwestern part of Mali and was thus pulled apart. As a precautionary measure, France ordered the evacuation of all French citizens in the Ségou area to Bamako.

The French army responded to the rebel advance with heavy air strikes, which lasted into the night of January 15th. According to a Malian security force, at least five Islamist fighters were killed and other rebels injured in the air strikes.

At the same time as the air strikes, the two Mirage F1 CRs stationed in Chad moved to Bamako airport on January 14 to serve as an early warning system for the capital.

Transport machines , including the two British C-17 military equipment and armored vehicles for the aforementioned company of the 2e RIMa, moved from the Evreux Air Force Base to Bamako Airport on the night of January 14th to 15th . The SGTIA also arrived from Abidjan that night .

January 15, 2013

The French Air Force resumed its air strikes on Tuesday. As of January 14, the French fighter jets - Rafale, Mirage F1 CR and Mirage 2000D - have flown eight sorties against a dozen targets. They were supported by tanker planes. Meanwhile, parts of the ground forces continued to equip themselves with the equipment flown in from France, including armored vehicles. Later, hundreds of French and Malian soldiers advanced in armored vehicles to Niono , a town about 50 km south of Diabaly.

Strategically important bridge over the Niger near Markala

It was learned from diplomatic and military circles that the French troops would take part in the second phase of the operation, driving the Islamists out of the big cities. The reason given is that most of the African armies, with the exception of those from Niger, had no experience of the difficult task to be carried out in sandy and mountainous terrain.

On the evening of January 15, the French Defense Minister confirmed that, contrary to their own reports, the Malian military had not retaken the city of Konna. The French air support pushed the rebels back into an area between Douentza and Gao, but the Malian army was unable to take the city. According to Admiral Edouard Guillaud, French warplanes and helicopters have flown 50 aerial missions since the start of the operation.

In the evening, the French military set a motorized battle group consisting of 30 armored vehicles ( Sagaie , VAB , VBL ) from the airport in Bamako northwards. Escorted by a reconnaissance plane, the armored vehicles moved to Markala , 270 kilometers north of Bamako. There they were supposed to relieve a French special unit and block the strategically important bridge over the Niger River . The troop movements that day marked the first deployment of French ground forces against the Islamists after a series of air strikes by the French air force.

The Malian government troops announced that they would take Diabaly the next day with French support.

According to statements made by residents of the northern Malian city of Gao, Islamist rebels cut telephone connections there to prevent residents from continuing to provide information to the Malian and French military.

January 16, 2013

On Wednesday, fighter jets and helicopters flew more than a dozen air raids on targets in the Diabaly region, destroying a dozen targets.

In Bamako, the Malian President Dioncouda Traoré visited the department stationed at the airport. He was accompanied by General Sheha Abdulkadir , AFISMA Chief of Staff . The rescue center for emergency surgical care reported ready for use. This means that ten operations can be performed per day if necessary.

The relocation of French troops to Bamako was accelerated by the deployment and support of the Allied armies. Denmark, the United Kingdom and Belgium, C-17 Globemaster and C-130 Hercules provided transport aircraft between France and Mali. They transported equipment, ammunition and food on flight routes between French air force bases and Bamako via N'Djamena and Abidjan.

On Wednesday there was the first serious firefight between French special forces and Islamist rebels near Diabaly in central Mali. According to Malian and Western officials involved in the fighting French soldiers had orders enemy targets for the French Air Force educate . A Malian colonel also announced that his ground troops had joined the French armed forces and had formed a ring around the Islamist-occupied city of Diabaly.

According to refugees and local officials, the Islamic militants occupied two villages after Malian government forces abandoned them. The villages were Sokolo, 15 km northwest of Diabaly, and Dogofry, 15 km north of Diabaly. Seydou Traore, the prefect of Niono, the administrative center of the district, commented: “They (the Malian troops) had no choice but to withdraw. They cannot compete with the weapons of the rebels. We need help. ” During the day the French bombed the rebel positions with fighter planes. During the night, French attack helicopters attacked from closer range. French special forces moved visibly behind the front line at Niono during the day and identified targets at commando companies at night. The air strikes caused losses to the rebels. Four refugees from Diabaly said that "the bodies would pile up" and that at least eight rebel vehicles were destroyed in the bombing. However, the air strikes could not drive the rebels from their positions.

17th January 2013

The motorized task force, which had left Bamako on January 15, took up its position near Markala to prevent a further advance on the capital of Mali. Two other task forces in Bamako reported their readiness for action. The special forces relieved in Markala, around a hundred men in 14 armored vehicles, drove towards Niono.

The first AFISMA troops arrived in Bamako . It was a company of almost 200 soldiers from the Nigerian army and members of the Togolese army, a total of around 250 soldiers. A French helicopter task force reached Bamako and other French helicopters transported by the C-17 of the Royal Canadian Air Force.

French fighter planes conducted a dozen air missions, half of which were aimed at destroying enemy targets. Three Mirage 2000Ds were transferred from N'Djamena to Bamako airport together with a logistics team in order to shorten the distance to be covered during air strikes on rebel positions.

Banamba County in the Koulikoro Region

According to the Malian population, rebels from Diabaly have been sighted in the vicinity of Banamba, a town 145 kilometers away from Bamako. After Gao, the telephone connections have now also been cut in Diabaly. Malian and French soldiers heavily patrolled the region around the army base at Sévaré. Issa Ballo, a resident of Mopti, testified: “There are French tanks and many Malian soldiers in Sévaré. A few hours ago people saw three French tanks heading for Konna. The [Malian] army drives around with pick-ups and motorbikes, they check everything in Mopti and they arrest every suspect and put them in their military vehicles. "

In the afternoon, Malian soldiers advanced to Konna.

January 18, 2013

While the fighter planes continued their air strikes on positions of the Islamists, the task force deployed in Markala continued to secure the route to the capital of Mali. For this purpose, observation posts have been set up on both sides of the Niger River since January 16 to prevent the spread of jihadists to the Malian capital.

With the arrival of additional medical and logistical support, the French troop contingent continued to grow. In addition to the British C-17 and Belgian C-130, a Canadian C-17 and Danish C-130 were also used.

At a press conference that afternoon, it was announced that the operating headquarters in Bamako had 80 military personnel. The Air Force flew 110 missions, 70 of which were air strikes and 15 support missions such as reconnaissance and refueling. Fifteen helicopters, including Tiger attack helicopters, the 1e RHC from Phalsbourg and the 5e RHC from Pau, would arrive in no time.

According to eyewitness reports, the French air force destroyed four AQMI vehicles near the border with Mauritania, near the city of Fassala.

Ultimately, the Malian army was able to drive the rebels out of the city of Konna with great resistance and high losses and secure the village. The city of Diabaly, captured by militant Islamists on January 14 and contested since January 16, has not yet been retaken by French and Malian troops that day, contrary to a number of reports.

19th January 2013

The French Air Force flew a dozen air missions, half of which were combat missions. The rebel movements were monitored and targets for air strikes in the Diabaly region were identified.

The troop unit deployed in Markala continued to provide protection for the capital Bamako. Both banks of the Niger River were monitored to prevent the Islamists from infiltrating the area. At the same time, the strengthening of the forces in Bamako was continued. The airmobile association was able to complete its first flights.

20th January 2013

On the night of January 19-20, the French ground forces expanded their security area in cooperation with the Malian army. A unit of troops was moved from Bamako by plane around the cities of Mopti and Sévaré. The unit of troops stationed at Markala expanded its operational radius to include the area around Niono. The French Air Force continued its reconnaissance flights and bombing rebel positions. Targets in the area around Timbuktu were also attacked.

According to the population, the Islamist rebels retreated to Kidal, a city in the mountainous north of Mali. Contrary to media reports, the Malian army did not succeed in retaking Diabaly with the support of French units.

The Ansar Dine reported on January 20 that they had killed around 60 Malian soldiers, eight " mujahideen " were killed. The Malian security authorities announced the deaths of 11 soldiers in the battle for Konna.

January 21, 2013

French soldiers upon arrival in Bamako on January 21st

French and Malian ground troops advanced into the cities of Diabaly and Douentza without resistance.

January 22, 2013

The French troops at Markala were replaced by Malian troops in order to catch up with the rest of the troops at Diabaly. The troop unit at Sévaré began patrol activities in cooperation with the Malian army. A company of the 3rd RIMa , which had arrived from France the day before, took over the security of the part of the Bamako airport used by the military for the operation.

A spokesman for the French army announced plans to move ground troops about 100 kilometers a week.

January 23, 2013

Air strikes on military targets were carried out north of the imaginary line between Diabaly and Konna. Further defensive measures were taken along this line to prevent the rebels from infiltrating to the south. In Bamako, the 3 RIMa company expanded its protection from the airfield to the established headquarters of General Bernard Barrera in collaboration with commandos of the French Air Force.

In the evening the rebels were ousted from the small town of Hombori , between Mopti and Gao . The city of Gao, 160 kilometers northeast, remained under the control of the MUJAO . In the north, near the Mauritanian border, French troops advanced from the small town of Léré in the Niafunké district to Timbuktu .

January 24, 2013

The French troop formation under the command of Colonel Gèze, who had liberated Diabali, consisting of the company of the 21 RIMa and the platoon of the 1 REC , was reinforced and took up position on the front line between Diabaly and Sévaré. The airmobile unit, commanded by Colonel Gout, and the staff of the Serval Brigade, commanded by General Barrera, were transferred to Segou. The air strikes continued, attacking about a dozen targets behind the Diabaly-Sévaré line.

Meanwhile, the Islamists blew up a strategically important bridge to neighboring Niger near Gao in order to stop a rapid advance by Chadian and Nigerien AFISMA troops , who were preparing for their deployment in Ouallam in Niger and were supposed to open a second front against the rebels.

January 26, 2013

After two days of intense air strikes, French and Malian troops took the city of Gao, which has been occupied by Islamists since June 2012 . The international airport to the east of the city and the strategically important Wabary Bridge over the Niger were also captured, including by command units of the French Navy and paratroopers of the 1st Regiment de Chasseurs Parachutistes (1st RCP). Nigerien and Chad troops also arrived at the airport.

January 27, 2013

French and Malian troops advanced as far as the city limits of Timbuktu , apparently without encountering resistance from the Islamists.

January 28, 2013

The enhanced to about 250 soldiers 2nd Company of the 2nd REP (2nd Parachute Regiment of the Foreign Legion from Calvi ) jumped from the Ivory Coast from January 28, 2013 (Paris time) at 00:30 of five aircraft over the northern suburbs of Timbuktu from . This airborne operation was the first French operation of its kind in 35 years. During the night, a group of around 800 Malian and French soldiers advancing from the southwest occupied the airport and sealed off the city of Timbuktu and all access roads with the paratroopers who had already landed.

In view of the city's cultural assets, fighting within the city should be avoided. Mayor Halle Ousmane told the Reuters news agency that on January 24, 2013 the Islamists destroyed the library in the Institut des hautes études et de recherches islamiques Ahmed Baba , Timbuktu, which contained up to 100,000 Arabic manuscripts from the 12th to the 20th century 15th century. The extent of the damage could not be foreseen.

A MNLA commander told Reuters via satellite phone that he had gained control of the city of Kidal and offered to support the French soldiers.

January 29, 2013

Airborne pioneers of the 17th régiment du génie parachutiste (17th RGP) jumped over the Timbuktu airport in order to then repair it for flight operations with also removed large equipment such as bulldozers.

January 30, 2013

French troops captured the Kidal airfield.

February 2013

February 2, 2013

French President Hollande visited Timbuktu and was greeted by a cheering population.

5th February 2013

Around 1,800 soldiers from Chad moved into the city of Kidal.

February 6, 2013

A French battle group consisting of around 200 soldiers, including 1er RIMA with AMX-10 RC and VAB as well as artillery units of the CAESAR type, moved from Niamey / Niger over 400 kilometers north to Gao in order to secure the airport and a strategic bridge over the Take over Niger River. The forces were accompanied by Nigerien and Malian troops.

A confidential letter found by the press in a government building in Timbuktu revealed Al-Qaeda’s strategy to conquer northern Mali and its plans for the entire region. The letter comes from Abdelmalek Droukdel, who was appointed by Osama bin Laden as the commander of Al-Qaeda in Africa .

February 7, 2013

French and Chadian forces took control of Aguelhok .

February 8, 2013

On the night of February 7th to 8th, French special forces jumped over the Tessalit airport . They were reinforced by 50 soldiers from the 1st RCP . Subsequently, a battle group consisting of the 1er RIMA from Gao and the Chadian armed forces from Kidal arrived in the region around Tessalit.

Meanwhile, there was the first suicide attack in Gao since the French invasion: a Malian soldier was injured when a Tuareg blew himself up on his motorcycle next to a group of Malian soldiers. In Bamako there was fighting between rival units of the Malian army.

February 9, 2013

As they had done about two weeks earlier in Timbuktu, airborne pioneers of the 17th régiment du génie parachutiste (17th RGP) jumped over the Tessalit airport to evacuate it and establish flight operations. The city of Menaka was occupied by French troops.

February 10, 2013

In the center of Gao there were further suicide attacks by Islamists on motorcycles and firefights between them and the Malian military. The Islamists holed up in a police station, among other places. French troops stationed at Gao airport were forced to intervene in the fighting from both land and air.

February 12, 2013

The battleship, which arrived in Bamako on February 5 and had previously embarked in Dakar from Dixmude , including the first company of the 92e RI , began the 4-day transfer by land to Gao, 1200 kilometers away.

February 16, 2013

About 1,000 Malian, Nigerien and French soldiers advanced to the city of Bourem. This was previously used by the Islamists as a place of retreat and as a base for the infiltration of Gao by means of wooden boats.

After 10 months in exile in Niger, Malian soldiers from the Tuareg tribe were again patrolling the streets of Gao.

17th February 2013

The battle group, which largely consisted of forces from Operations Licorne and Epervier, was replaced by units of the 1e RIMA in Timbuktu and moved back to their original areas of operation in the Ivory Coast and Chad.

19th February 2013

During the Panthère reconnaissance mission in the Ifoghas Mountains , French and African forces got into fierce skirmishes with Islamist rebels 50 kilometers south of Tessalit. A French-Belgian foreign legionnaire of the 2nd REP was killed.

February 21, 2013

A car bomb detonated in Kidal . The vehicle was apparently moving towards a military base used by soldiers from France and Chad. The bomb is said to have detonated a few 100 meters from the base. In Gao, the market and the main court building burned down during heavy fighting between Islamist rebels and Malian troops.

March 2013

During an attack on a position of the Islamist rebels in Adrar des Ifoghas , a French soldier of the 1st RCP died on March 2nd .

Reactions

West African Economic Community

→ Main article : African-led International Support Mission to Mali

As a result of the French mission, the President of the West African Economic Community ECOWAS , Alassane Ouattara , announced on January 11, 2013 that, in accordance with UN resolution 2085, the planned deployment of the 3300 -strong African-led International Support Mission to Mali AFISMA would be initiated within a very short time , for which soldiers from Senegal , Nigeria , Niger , Togo and Benin are intended. A troop contingent from the Ivory Coast is also being planned.

The commander of the AFISMA troops is the Nigerian Major General Shehu Abdulkadir, his deputy is Brigadier General Yayé Garba from Niger. Colonel Jean Paul Ntab from Senegal serves as AFISMA's chief of staff.

2000 soldiers from the ECOWAS countries are to be deployed by the end of January; in the long term, the mission is to include more than 3000 soldiers. The first West African soldiers arrived at the airport in Bamako on January 16, and other forces, including parts of the Nigerian Air Force , relocated to Mali in the next few days.

On January 19, a Nigerian military convoy with troops from the AFISMA contingent was attacked by a booby trap in Nigeria . On the same day, at a summit in Abidjan, the West African Economic Community called on the UN to provide immediate logistical and financial support for the deployment of West African troops in Mali.

U.N.

On January 11, after an emergency meeting, the United Nations Security Council announced that the AFISMA planned by Resolution 2085 would be implemented in the near future. On January 14, after a two-hour meeting in New York, the UN Security Council announced that it approved and supported France's intervention.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed his hope on January 12th that the decision of the French government would be in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2085, adopted in December 2012.

The United Nations Security Council , which includes France, the United States, the United Kingdom, Russia , China and ten other non-independent states, announced on January 15 that the French operation was in accordance with international law and that all council members were behind the French position.

EU

The European Union said that preparations for the deployment of military instructors, including up to 30 Germans, to Mali will be stepped up.

As early as 2012 it was decided to support the Malian army with training and reorganization, but the plans would have to be adapted to the new situation created by France's intervention. The troops are not allowed to take part in combat operations. According to reports, the operation will start in mid-February, earlier than previously planned.

On January 17th, at a meeting in Brussels, the EU Foreign Minister announced that the EU-led training mission EUTM Mali is planned to have 200 to 250 trainers who are to be protected by 200 soldiers. The number of trainers could, however, be doubled to 500 if necessary. The French general François Lecointre was appointed commander of the mission. Furthermore, on Thursday the foreign ministers of the 27 EU countries also promised financial support for AFISMA , signaled their readiness for humanitarian aid and the resumption of development aid for Mali and called for a return to democracy. The decision to deploy the military instructors is expected by mid-February.

NATO

NATO spokeswoman Oana Lungescu welcomed the French operation on January 14; she made it clear that there would be no military support from NATO as the Islamist offensive had been held up. NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said shortly afterwards that he saw no role for NATO in Mali.

Russia

Russia praised the intervention, as France is acting exactly in accordance with the UN resolutions.

Germany

The federal government has promised France support in Mali. The aid could be logistical or humanitarian, but would take place "beyond the dispatch of combat troops", said the then Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle on January 14, 2013. The then deputy chairman of the CDU / CSU parliamentary group, Andreas Schockenhoff , did not rule out a combat mission.

In a representative survey by ARD , the German population was asked about possible support in Mali. 69 percent of Germans were of the opinion that Germany should provide logistical and medical support. Seven percent supported the participation of Bundeswehr soldiers in military operations. 22 percent of citizens completely refused to participate.

On January 19, the President of the Bundestag, Norbert Lammert , criticized the German participation in the mission as insufficient.

In an interview with Der Spiegel , the President of Ivory Coast and chairman of the West African community, Alassane Ouattara, called on Germany to send troops to Mali in addition to the logistical, humanitarian and financial support that had already been approved.

On February 18, 2013, Foreign Minister Westerwelle announced that the Bundeswehr would take part in the EU training mission with 40 pioneer trainers and paramedics. On February 19, 2013, the federal cabinet dealt with the planned German participation in the international military operation in Mali. According to German government circles, two independent mandates are planned: one for the planned participation in the EU training mission in Mali and one for German support in the refueling of French fighter jets, which is a participation in the Serval operation. Air refueling of French fighter jets began on March 5, 2013.

On January 6, 2015, the German government announced that it would be stationing 500 more soldiers in Mali, thus raising the previous upper limit from 150 to 650 soldiers. This increase in funds is justified by the progress of the negotiations to find peace in the country and the associated necessary measures to resolve the conflict.

Neighbore states

Amar Belani, spokesman for the Algerian Foreign Ministry, expressed support for the Mali transitional authority and noted that Mali, in accordance with its sovereignty, has asked friendly states for support in national counter-terrorism. On Sunday January 13, 2013, Algeria opened the airspace to French fighter planes. On January 14, Algeria declared its 1376-kilometer border with Mali closed.

Mauritania, Mali's western neighbor, put its troops on alert and relocated soldiers to the border with Mali to seal it off from the flow of refugees.

Burkina Faso increased its border forces by 500 soldiers and had checkpoints and roadblocks erected.

France

The majority of French politicians are in favor of the operation. However, former Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin said on January 12th that there were no conditions for success. Furthermore, he repeated his warning, which he already issued to the United Nations during the Iraq war :

“Jamais ces guerres n'ont bâti un Etat solid et démocratique. Au contraire, elles favorisent les séparatismes, les Etats faillis, la loi d'airain des milices armées. »

“These wars have never led to the creation of a solid and democratic state. On the contrary, they tend to promote separatism , failed states and the indomitable rules of armed militias. "

According to a poll by the newspaper Le Parisien on January 15, 75% of the French population supported the French intervention and 23% opposed it.

Mali

On the evening of January 11th, the President of the Malian interim government, Dioncounda Traoré , declared a state of emergency and called on the population to general mobilize to support the government troops.

In Bamako, numerous residents celebrated the French intervention on January 13 by waving French flags or attaching them to their vehicles.

The French troops, which marched on the way to Diabaly on January 15th, were positively perceived by the population and greeted with cheers.

According to media reports, three armed men were discovered in a taxi by locals in Bamako on January 17 and subsequently arrested. According to an official of the Malian National Commission of Human Rights (CNDH) , the men were arrested in the Dgikoraone marketplace on suspicion of involvement in terrorism and taken to an undisclosed location by the Sécurité d'État , the Malian state security service. The arrests coincide with rumors that Islamist sleeper cells are active in Bamako and may be planning retaliatory attacks over international military intervention.

According to the Deputy Mayor of Gao City, residents killed Alioune Touré, an Islamist leader, on January 19 after Islamist rebels accused local reporter Kader Toure of collaborating with the enemy and subsequently beat him to death.

MNLA

On January 14, it was announced that the MNLA endorsed the French air strikes and wanted to support the Malian government and French ground forces in the fight against the Islamists in order to end terrorism in Azawad. The MNLA sees itself as more useful than the forces of the ECOWAS states, since they do not know the population and the terrain.

On January 16, Moussa Ag Assarid, spokesman for the MNLA, announced that his organization was ready to take up the fight against the militant Islamists, their former allies. He noted that the MNLA will not fight side by side with the French forces, but that the MNLA is against al-Qaeda and terrorism.

On January 19, it was announced that representatives of the ECOWAS countries would negotiate with the MLNA about their support in the fight against the Islamists at a meeting in Ouagadougou on January 21. The MNLA stipulates that neither the Malian army nor the AFISMA troops are deployed in northern Mali, as they fear acts of retaliation against the Tuareg population. The MNLA gave up its demands for independence, but demanded northern autonomy in a federal Mali. Support for the MNLA through the delivery of petrol and ammunition is conceivable.

According to media reports, the last MNLA fighters fled across the border to Mauritania and were disarmed there.

Islamists

Omar Ould Hamaha said in a radio interview that France had opened the "doors to hell" for all French people and that France had fallen into a trap that was much more dangerous than those in Iraq, Afghanistan or Somalia.

According to a newspaper, a MUJAO representative threatened retaliatory strikes for the French air strikes, stating that they would "hit France in the heart".

The Ansar Dine group demanded that the French air strikes cease on them. Otherwise, France would dig the grave of its own children.

AQMI raid on the Algerian gas field In Aménas

→ Main article : In Aménas hostage-taking

On January 16, 2013 at 6:00 a.m., an AQMI command led by Mochtar Belmochtar attacked the Algerian liquid gas field In Aménas in the Illizi province on the border with Libya, which is operated jointly by the Algerian state company Sonatrach , British BP and the Norwegian Statoil becomes. They took 41 people, including 13 Norwegians, seven US citizens, two French and two British, hostage and threatened to blow up the conveyor facilities if the Algerian security forces start a rescue operation. "We hold the governments of Algeria and France and the hostages fully responsible for any delay in meeting our demands, the most important of which is the immediate cessation of the attack on our people in Mali," declared the AQMI. After Algerian security forces had already started attacking the hostage-takers on January 17th, the fighting dragged on with interruptions until the end of the hostage-taking on January 19th. According to the Algerian government, at least 23 hostages and 32 terrorists were killed.

International military participation

The following military resources have been considered or designated for use:

•  Belgium : On January 15, the Belgian government announced that it was already using a C-130 Hercules to secure transports in Mali. In the afternoon, another C-130 moved from Belgium to Corsica in order to fly on to Mali loaded with French military equipment. The two C-130H belong to the 20th Squadron of the 15th Air Transport Wing and are stationed at the Melsbroek Air Force Base. Two helicopters of the type A109 are to be operational in Mali by January 21st and serve as MEDEVAC components. In addition, 75 soldiers who will not take part in combat operations will be relocated to Mali. On January 16, 35 soldiers on board an Airbus A330 transferred the Belgian air component from Melsbroek to Abidjan. On March 1st the Belgian government will evaluate whether further measures are necessary.

•  Denmark : On January 15th, the Danish government promised to send a C-130J Hercules with 40 soldiers, including crew and maintenance personnel, for a period of 3 months for logistical support, but not in combat areas. The C-130J of Eskadrille 721 of the Air Transport Wing Aalborg moved from the Flyvevåbnet air force base in Aalborg to France to transport French equipment to Mali from there.

•  Germany : Since January 15, the federal government has been negotiating medical, logistical and humanitarian support. On January 16, she promised to send two Transall C-160 machines and 4 air force crews to transport the ECOWAS troop contingents for AFISMA . The dispatch of combat units is excluded. The European Air Transport Command (EATC) is responsible for coordinating the air transport operations . On the evening of January 17, two C-160ESSs from Lufttransportgeschwader 63 flew from Hohn Air Base to Bordeaux to pick up medical supplies from the French armed forces. On the evening of January 19, the transport planes landed in Bamako, where they were unloaded and refueled, and the next day they were transferred to the deployment base in Dakar, Senegal.

•  Italy : On January 16, Defense Minister Giampaolo Di Paola and Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi offered logistical support in the form of the provision of air bases, participation in the EU-led training mission and the deployment of two C-130 Hercules to transport troops and materials. The dispatch of combat troops is not planned. On January 22nd, the commitment was made to deploy two C-130Js and one KC-767 tanker for a period of two to three months. Italy also participates in EUTM Mali with 15 to 24 instructors.

•  Canada : On January 14th, the commitment was made to provide a C-17 Globemaster III for a week from January 15th for the transport of equipment and supplies to Bamako, but not in combat zones. On January 15, a C-17 of the 429 Transport Squadron , stationed on CFB Trenton , moved with 35 soldiers to the Évreux Air Force Base in France to transport French soldiers and their equipment to Mali. On January 17th, the French ambassador to Canada said that France would welcome it if the logistical support in the form of the transport machine were not limited in time.

•  Netherlands : At the request of France, the government agreed to participate in the operation in the form of the provision of air transport capacities by the Koninklijke Luchtmacht . There are two KDC-10 and one DC-10 of the 334 Squadron as well as four C-130H of the 336 Squadron in Eindhoven for flights to the neighboring countries of Mali, but not to Mali itself. The coordination takes place via the EATC , which is also based in Eindhoven.

•  Russia : Aircraft of the 224th Air Detachment of Military Transport Aviation from Migalowo Air Base take part in air transport operations from France to Mali. The Antonov An-124 aircraft were chartered by a private company and made available to the French Army. On January 18, this commitment was publicly confirmed and the prospect of sending Russian military instructors was announced.

•  Spain : On January 15, Defense Minister Pedro Morenés announced that Spain would continue to participate in the EU-led training mission with 40 to 50 military instructors . Furthermore, Spain has released its airspace for French fighter planes. On January 16, Foreign Minister José Manuel García-Margallo announced logistical support for the relocation of ECOWAS troop contingents in the form of a transport aircraft. These measures were approved on January 18. On April 4, 2013, Spain sent 35 pioneers of the Bandera de Zapadores 2ª de La Legión des 3rd Tercio "Don Juan de Austria" from Viator (Brigada "Rey Alfonso XIII") of the Spanish Legion to Mali. The task will be to protect the EU trainers.

•  Chad : The government in N'Djamena announced on January 16 that 2000 soldiers would be deployed: an infantry regiment with 1200 soldiers and two support battalions with a total of 800 soldiers. The troops would not be part of AFISMA , but would be integrated into the French command structure.

•  United Arab Emirates : Since January 21, two C-17s from the United Arab Emirates have been available for air transport to the crisis region.

French soldiers board a USAF C-17.

•  United States : Since January 12, the possibilities of participation - most likely logistics, use of drones, reconnaissance, intelligence gathering, air transport and refueling of French warplanes - have been examined. On January 15 , US Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta initially ruled out the deployment of ground troops . On January 17, it was announced that the US would comply with the French request for air transport capacity in the form of sending C-17 or C-5 transport aircraft to transport French troops and military equipment. France would pay the US for the cost of military flights. Even before January 17th, the US was helping by increasing the exchange of intelligence information. On January 19, it was announced that the USA would send a total of around 100 military instructors to Niger, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Togo and Ghana to train the AFISMA units for deployment there. On January 21st, a US Air Force C-17 coming from Istres landed in Bamako with French troops, vehicles and other equipment. More flights followed to relocate a 600-man French armored battalion. The Pentagon announced on January 22 that France would not have to make any payments for the use of the transport aircraft.

•  United Kingdom : Commitment on January 13th to provide two C-17 Globemaster III's for “very limited strategic and tactical support”. British drones and reconnaissance planes are also available . The use of ground troops was initially ruled out. The first transport aircraft was already operational on Sunday, the second C-17 was relocated to France on January 14th. The transport machines of the No. 99 Squadron of the RAF Brize Norton operate from the French air force base Évreux near Paris and are supposed to move armored vehicles and other military equipment to Mali. In response to the hostage drama in Algeria, it was announced on January 21 that Britain would support the operation with reconnaissance planes, reconnaissance drones and special forces. British special forces are said to be already active in Mali.

reporting

The French military leadership had (as of January 28) the information sovereignty over the offensive: so far, almost no images or independent information from the front reached the public. Subsequent photo reporters were only able to take photos of destroyed buildings or vehicles - no corpses can be seen on them. Journalists reported that access to the combat zone was almost impossible. Human rights organizations reported alleged crimes by Malian soldiers who fought alongside the French. They are said to have killed numerous suspects and raped women in places like Sévaré, Mopti or Niono. The French army leadership tried to avoid damage to its image.

costs

On January 23, the French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian put the cost of the intervention so far at 30 million euros, of which the logistics and transport of the troops would have the largest share. Figures from 2010 are used as a guide to the cost of the military operation. For example, one hour flying the Mirage 2000 cost around 11,700 euros, while an hour flying the Rafale cost 26,800 euros. The one-hour use of a tiger amounted to 25,000 euros, whereas the Gazelle only cost 2,600 euros. Another cost factor is the deployment of personnel, as French soldiers receive at least 50% more pay depending on their rank.

Deduction

According to French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, France was planning to start withdrawing French soldiers in March 2013. However, French soldiers were still stationed in Mali in mid-June 2013.

The African-led stabilization mission AFISMA was absorbed into the UN follow-up MINUSMA mission on July 1, 2013 . The aim of this is to further stabilize Mali after the end of Opération Serval.

See also

• Mokhtar Belmokhtar
• Al Qaeda in the Maghreb
• Libyan Islamic combat group
• Ansar Dine
• Movement for Unity and Jihad in West Africa MUJAO
• Conflict in Northern Mali (since 2012)
• African-led International Support Mission to Mali
• Operation Barkhane

Web links

Commons : Opération Serval  - album with pictures, videos and audio files

• Interactive map of the course of Operation Serval , Le Monde (English)
• Mali profile BBC News
• www.un.org (United Nations): News focus: Mali
• Islamist terror in Mali on the information portal on political education
• Sicherheitvernetzt.de What tactical lessons can be learned from Operation Serval?

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Une page se tourne: les opérations Serval et Épervier sont désormais terminées ( French ) Zone Militaire. Retrieved July 4, 2015.
2. ↑ ^{a b} OL.B .: Opération Serval au Mali: le Commandement des forces terrestres à Lille gère et devance la montée en puissance ( French ) La Voix du Nord. Retrieved January 20, 2013.
3. ^ Opération Serval au Mali: le général Grégoire de Saint-Quentin nommé officiellement au commandement ( French ) La Voix du Nord. Retrieved January 23, 2013.
4. ↑ AFP: France pounds Islamist strongholds in Mali ( English ) Daily Nation. Retrieved January 14, 2013.
5. ^ French Ministry of Defense: Opération Serval: point de situation du 24 janvier 2013 ( French ) Retrieved July 30, 2013.
6. ↑ Confusion and violence , Frankfurter Rundschau, January 9, 2013, as of January 14, 2013.
7. ↑ Operation in Mali - in rapid succession , FAZ, January 13, 2013, as of January 14, 2013.
8. ^ Conflict in Mali - France continues air strikes on rebels , SZ, January 13, 2013, as of January 14, 2013.
9. ↑ AAP: Mali rebels retreat in east, fight in west ( English ) MSN NZ News. Retrieved January 14, 2013.
10. ↑ ^{a b} MALI - OPERATION SERVAL: 4600 soldats français mobilisés , ledauphine.com, January 31, 2013
11. ↑ AAP: Chad to send 2000 soldiers to Mali ( English ) Couriermail.com.au. January 17, 2013. Retrieved January 14, 2013.
12. ↑ Mali. Qui sont les islamistes à qui la France a déclaré la guerre? ( French ) FranceTVinfo. Retrieved January 22, 2013.
13. ↑ Mission in Mali - British and Americans help - a little , Spiegel Online, January 12, 2013, as of January 14, 2013.
14. ^ Air strikes by the French army in Mali continue , Hamburger Abendblatt, January 14, 2013, as of January 14, 2013.
15. ↑ ^{a b c} Rival army units in Bamako - Skirmishes between Malian soldiers. In: NZZ . February 8, 2013, accessed February 8, 2013 . 
16. ↑ Mali: décès du lieutenant Damien Boiteux , French Ministry of Defense, January 12, 2013, as of January 14, 2013.
17. ^ French soldier killed in Mali, 20 rebels dead , Reuters. February 19, 2013. Retrieved February 20, 2013. 
18. ↑ ^{a b} Mission in Mali - French take Islamists under sustained fire , Spiegel Online, January 13, 2013, as of January 14, 2013.
19. ↑ ^{a b c d} War - 30,000 people are on the run in Mali , Spiegel Online, January 15, 2013, as of January 15, 2013.
20. ↑ Mali - la France a mené une série de raids contre les islamistes , Le Monde.fr, January 12, 2013, as of January 12, 2013.
21. ↑ ^{a b} Security Council Authorizes Deployment of African-led International Support Mission in Mali for Initial Year-Long Period (full text of the resolution)
22. ↑ Mali and France 'push back Islamists' , the BBC, News Africa, January 12, 2013, updated around 01:04 GMT, as of January 12, 2013
23. ↑ France Battling Islamists in Mali NYT, published January 11, 2013, as of January 12, 2013
24. ^ Frank Doll: The raw material war in Mali In: Wirtschaftswoche-Online . January 14, 2013, accessed January 10, 2014.
25. ↑ Matthias Gebauer, Bjorn Hengs: military operation in West Africa: What France really wants in Mali. In: Spiegel-Online . January 16, 2013, accessed January 10, 2014.
26. ↑ Dominic Johnson: If you were lucky, to Gao. taz on January 12, 2017
27. ↑ Mali Besieged by Fighters Fleeing Libya . Stratfor. Archived from the original on March 11, 2012. Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved March 22, 2012. 
28. ^ Tuareg rebels declare the independence of Azawad, north of Mali , Al Arabiya. April 6, 2012. 
29. ↑ Serge Daniel: Islamists seize north Mali town, at least 21 dead in clashes , Google News. June 27, 2012. Archived from the original on November 23, 2012. 
30. ^ Adam Nossiter: Jihadists' Fierce Justice Drives Thousands to Flee Mali . In: The New York Times , July 18, 2012. Archived from the original on November 23, 2012. Retrieved November 23, 2012. 
31. ^ Mali: des islamist à la lisière north-south . In: Le Figaro , September 1, 2012. Retrieved January 13, 2013. 
32. ^ Ban Ki-moon met en garde contre une intervention au Mali . In: Le Monde , November 29, 2012. Retrieved January 13, 2013. 
33. ^ UN News Center: News Focus: Mali
34. ↑ Minutes of the meeting: Assemblée nationale ~ Première séance du mardi 15 janvier 2013. Assemblée nationale , accessed on February 8, 2013 (French). 
35. ↑ Face à l'offensive islamiste, le président malien demande l'aide militaire de le France. Zone Militaire , January 11, 2013, accessed January 14, 2013 . 
36. ^ ^{A b c d} Matthias Gebauer: Offensive in West Africa: France helps Mali in the fight against Islamists. In: Spiegel Online. January 11, 2013, accessed January 15, 2013 . 
37. ^ ^{A b} Matthias Gebauer, Severin Weiland: Mali deployment - Germany's risky friendship service. In: Spiegel Online. January 14, 2013, accessed January 15, 2013 . 
38. ↑ ^{a b c d} Logistic support: Germany wants to help France in Mali. In: Spiegel Online. January 14, 2013, accessed January 15, 2013 . 
39. ^ Matthias Gebauer: French Mali Mission: Hollandes Long War. In: Spiegel Online. January 15, 2013, accessed January 15, 2013 . 
40. ↑ ^{a b} Hollande veut “détruire les terroristes”. BBC, January 15, 2013, accessed January 16, 2013 (French). 
41. ^ ^{A b} France says military goal is "total reconquest of Mali". AFP, January 20, 2013, accessed January 21, 2013 . 
42. ^ Andreas Buro, Clemens Ronnefeldt: Dossier VI: The Mali conflict or: The struggle for control of North and West Africa. Cooperation for Peace, Bonn 2013 versoehnungsbund.de (PDF)
43. ↑ Matthias Gebauer, Bjorn Hengs: military operation in West Africa: What France really wants in Mali. In: Spiegel-Online . January 16, 2013, accessed December 19, 2013.
44. ^ Rachel Baig: France's Interests in Mali. In: Deutsche Welle Online . January 17, 2013, accessed December 19, 2013.
45. ↑ Blog article by Dirk Seifert, energy officer of the environmental organization Robin Wood , accessed on December 19, 2013.
46. ↑ Mali? Uranium from Niger and natural gas from Algeria. In: N24.de . February 2, 2013, accessed December 19, 2013.
47. ^ France to add Mali troops, speeding up Africa input. Reuters, January 14, 2013, accessed January 15, 2013 . 
48. ↑ Opération Serval: montée en puissance du dispositif et poursuite des opérations. French Ministry of Defense, January 15, 2013, accessed July 30, 2013 . 
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67. ^ Mali: La France lance ses Rafale et Tigre dans la bataille, Mer et Marine
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78. ^ Serval: De nouvelles unités de l'armée de Terre sont sur le point de partir au Mali ( French ) Zone Militaire. Retrieved January 21, 2013.
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81. ^ Serval: Le 6e RG et le 11e RAMa ont été projetés au Mali ( French ) Zone Militaire. Retrieved January 21, 2013.
82. ↑ 200 légionnaires du 2e REP de Calvi au Mali ( Memento of January 12, 2014 in the Internet Archive )
83. ↑ Mali: Paratroopers take Timbuktu after airborne operation
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88. ↑ Le scoop de BFM TV: qui ose gagne. Le mamouth, January 15, 2013, accessed January 17, 2013 . 
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90. ↑ http://www.leparisien.fr/week-end/mali-la-prochaine-guerre-de-la-france-10-10-2012-2220459.php
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92. ↑ How The French Air War In Mali Really Went Down. Business Insider, January 20, 2013, archived from the original on May 20, 2013 ; Retrieved January 21, 2013 . 
93. ↑ Les commandos Marine bretons en première ligne au Mali. Le Mensuel de Rennes, January 20, 2013, archived from the original on January 29, 2013 ; Retrieved January 22, 2013 . 
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96. ↑ Operations in Africa - France intensifies security measures. Spiegel Online, January 12, 2013, accessed January 15, 2013 . 
97. ↑ defense.gouv.fr
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99. ↑ Merchet, Jean-Dominique: Mali: le premier mort français de l'opération Serval ( French ) Marianne.net. Retrieved January 13, 2013.
100. ↑ Mali: lancement de l'opération Serval ( French ) French Ministry of Defense. Retrieved January 12, 2013.
101. ↑ Early Lessons From France's Mali Action Emerge ( English ) Defense News. Retrieved January 21, 2013.
102. ↑ Mali: lancement de l'opération Serval ( French ) French Ministry of Defense. Retrieved January 16, 2013.
103. ↑ Missions in Africa A Black Day for France , Spiegel Online, January 12, 2013, as of January 15, 2013.
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105. ↑ Mali Islamists much stronger than expected: France. The Daily Star, January 13, 2013, accessed January 19, 2013 . 
106. ^ Mali: Operation Serval, poursuite du déploiement des forces. French Ministry of Defense, January 14, 2013, accessed January 16, 2013 . 
107. ^ Mali: Operation Serval, poursuite du déploiement des forces. French Ministry of Defense, January 14, 2013, accessed January 16, 2013 . 
108. ↑ France Rafale jets target Gao in eastern Mali. BBC News, January 13, 2013, accessed January 15, 2013 . 
109. ↑ Operation in Mali - French take Islamists under constant fire. Spiegel Online, January 13, 2013, accessed January 15, 2013 . 
110. ↑ France Rafale jets target Gao in eastern Mali. BBC News, January 13, 2013, accessed January 15, 2013 . 
111. ↑ ^{a b} EU wants to send military instructors to Mali. Tagesschau.de, January 14, 2013, archived from the original on January 15, 2013 ; accessed on January 14, 2013 . 
112. ↑ Opération Serval: point de situation du 15 janvier 2013. French Ministry of Defense, 15 January 2013, accessed on 16 January 2013 . 
113. ↑ ^{a b} Mali conflict: West African troops to arrive 'in days' ( English ) BBC News. Retrieved January 15, 2013.
114. ^ France military says Mali town Konna 'not recaptured'. BBC News, January 15, 2013, accessed January 15, 2013 . 
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116. ↑ Opération Serval: point de situation du 16 janvier 2013. French Ministry of Defense, 16 January 2013, accessed on 17 January 2013 . 
117. ^ Mali conflict: French set for key ground combat. BBC News, January 15, 2013, accessed January 16, 2013 . 
118. ^ Fight against Islamists - French ground troops on their way to the north of Mali. Spiegel Online, January 16, 2013, accessed January 16, 2013 . 
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120. ↑ Opération Serval: point de situation du 16 janvier 2013. French Ministry of Defense, 16 January 2013, accessed on 17 January 2013 . 
121. ^ French army increases the deployment of Ground Forces to the North of Bamako. Army Recognition, January 17, 2013, accessed January 17, 2013 . 
122. ↑ Islamists claim two more villages as French forces mass in central Mali. The Miami Herald January 17, 2013, archived from the original September 21, 2013 ; Retrieved January 19, 2013 . 
123. ↑ Guerre au Mali: les forces spéciales françaises en opé… Le Parisien, January 18, 2013, accessed on January 20, 2013 . 
124. ↑ Opération Serval: point de situation du 17 janvier (from 16.01. 18h to 17.01. 18h). French Ministry of Defense, January 17, 2013, accessed January 18, 2013 . 
125. ↑ ^{a b} Mali Islamist rebels draw closer to capital Bamako. The Guardian, January 17, 2013, accessed January 19, 2013 . 
126. ^ French Armed Forces Operation Serval in Mali. Army Recognition, January 18, 2013, accessed January 19, 2013 . 
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128. ↑ Un bombardment aérien détruit des voitures près de la frontière avec la Mauritanie. maliweb.net, January 18, 2013, archived from the original on January 21, 2013 ; Retrieved January 20, 2013 . 
129. ↑ Opération Serval: point de situation du 18 janvier 2013. French Ministry of Defense, 18 January 2013, accessed on 19 January 2013 . 
130. ↑ The fighting is more intense than expected. Tagesschau, January 19, 2013, archived from the original on January 21, 2013 ; Retrieved January 19, 2013 . 
131. ↑ Diabali and Konna by government forces recaptured. Tagesschau, January 18, 2013, archived from the original on January 18, 2013 ; Retrieved January 19, 2013 . 
132. ↑ 'Vive La France:' Quick Islamist retreat raises questions about Mali's army. The Miami Herald, January 19, 2013, accessed January 20, 2013 . 
133. ↑ Islamists retreat without fight from towns in central Mali as French continue to deploy. (No longer available online.) McClatchy, Jan 18, 2013, archived from the original on Jan 21, 2013 ; Retrieved January 21, 2013 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  
134. ^ A town on Mali's frontline switches back and forth. The Christian Science Monitor, January 19, 2013, accessed January 21, 2013 . 
135. ↑ Opération Serval: point de situation du 19 janvier 2013. French Ministry of Defense, 19 January 2013, accessed on 20 January 2013 . 
136. ^ Opération Serval: point de situation du 20 janvier 2013. French Ministry of Defense, 20 January 2013, accessed on 21 January 2013 . 
137. ↑ VIDEO. Premières images de Tombouctou bombardée par l'aviation française. franceTVinfo, January 21, 2013, accessed on January 21, 2013 . 
138. ↑ ^{a b} Mali: les troupes françaises progressent vers le nord. Liberation, January 20, 2013, accessed January 21, 2013 . 
139. ↑ tv5.org
140. ↑ Mali conflict: French troops 'seize' Diabaly, Douentza. BBC News, January 21, 2013, accessed January 21, 2013 . 
141. ↑ Opération Serval: point de situation du 21 janvier 2013. French Ministry of Defense, 21 January 2013, accessed on 22 January 2013 . 
142. ↑ Opération Serval: point de situation du 22 janvier 2013. French Ministry of Defense, 22 January 2013, accessed on 23 January 2013 . 
143. ↑ The French want to advance 100 kilometers a week. Tagesspiegel, January 22, 2013, accessed on January 22, 2013 . 
144. ↑ Opération Serval: point de situation du 23 janvier 2013. French Ministry of Defense, 23 January 2013, accessed on 25 January 2013 . 
145. ^ The French stand in front of the desert city of Timbuktu. Deutsche Welle, January 25, 2013, accessed January 25, 2013 . 
146. ↑ Opération Serval: point de situation du 24 janvier 2013. French Ministry of Defense, 24 January 2013, accessed on 25 January 2013 (French). 
147. ↑ Islamists blew up strategically important bridges to Niger. www.oe24.at, January 24, 2013, accessed on January 25, 2013 . 
148. ↑ PLM van Smeden: Gao Airport, Gao, Mali. (No longer available online.) Airport information archived from the original on September 21, 2013 ; Retrieved February 8, 2013 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  
149. ^ Mali-French troops conquer Gao. www.oe24.at, January 27, 2013, accessed on January 27, 2013 . 
150. ^ French forces in Mali capture Gao. Al Jazeera, January 27, 2013, accessed July 31, 2013 . 
151. ^ French and Malian troops off Timbuktu. news.orf.at , January 27, 2013, accessed on February 8, 2013 . 
152. ↑ Unesco World Heritage: Islamists destroy priceless library in Mali. ZeitOnline , January 28, 2013, accessed February 8, 2013 . 
153. ↑ Adama Diarra: French seal off Timbuktu - old writings burned. Reuters , January 28, 2013, accessed February 8, 2013 . 
154. ^ French troops reach Kidal. In: FAZ . January 30, 2013, accessed February 8, 2013 . 
155. ↑ Thilo Thielke: Military operation in Mali: Celebrations in the ghost town. In: Spiegel Online . February 2, 2013, accessed February 8, 2013 . 
156. ↑ Mali: 1,800 soldiers from Chad secure former Islamist strongholds. In: Spiegel Online . February 5, 2013, accessed February 8, 2013 . 
157. ↑ Opération Serval: Engagement d'un escadron blindé AMX 10RC de Niamey à Gao. In: RP Defense. February 6, 2013, accessed July 31, 2013 (French). 
158. ^ In Timbuktu, al-Qaida left behind a manifesto. In: AP. February 14, 2013, accessed July 31, 2013 . 
159. ^ Opération Serval: les forces françaises et tchadiennes s'emparent de Tessalit. In: French Ministry of Defense. February 8, 2013, accessed July 31, 2013 . 
160. ^ [Mali] 1200 km from Bamako et Gao pour le 92e RI. Portail du Gouvernement, February 21, 2013, archived from the original on June 20, 2013 ; Retrieved July 31, 2013 . 
161. ^ French, Malian forces take control of Bourem. AP, February 17, 2013, accessed July 31, 2013 . 
162. ^ Opération Serval: relève à Tombouctou. French Ministry of Defense, February 20, 2013, accessed July 31, 2013 . 
163. ↑ Heavy fighting in Gao. Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, February 21, 2013, accessed on February 23, 2013 . 
164. ^ [Mali] Décès du caporal Cédric Charenton du 1er RCP. In: French Army. March 6, 2013, accessed July 31, 2013 . 
165. ↑ UN Resolution 2085 (2012) of December 20, 2012. Accessed January 15, 2013.
166. ↑ AFP: France pounds Islamist strongholds in Mali ( English ) Daily Nation. Retrieved January 14, 2013.
167. ↑ ^{a b} AP: A Look at What Countries Are Contributing to Mali ( English ) AP. Archived from the original on January 18, 2013. Retrieved January 15, 2013.
168. ↑ derstandard.at
169. ↑ Mali: MISMA debuted its operations on Friday in Mali ( English ) World Wide Defense. Retrieved January 18, 2013.
170. ↑ Malian Army recaptures Kona. Tagesschau , January 18, 2013, accessed on January 18, 2013 . 
171. ↑ ^{a b} Ecowas calls for logistical help in Mali. Zeit Online, January 19, 2013, accessed January 20, 2013 . 
172. ↑ ^{a b} Deployment to Mali: Two soldiers killed, five wounded in Kogi explosion. Codewit World News, January 19, 2013, accessed January 20, 2013 . 
173. ^ Nigerian Air Force Begins Deployment of War Planes to Mali Today. allAfrica.com, January 17, 2013, accessed January 19, 2013 . 
174. ↑ Nigeria: NAF Deploys F7 Supersonic, Alpha Jets to Mali. allAfrica.com, January 18, 2013, accessed January 19, 2013 . 
175. ^ Nigeria: Air Force Deploys Two Alpha Jets to Mali. allAfrica.com, January 19, 2013, accessed January 19, 2013 . 
176. ↑ Opération Serval: point de situation du 19 janvier 2013. French Ministry of Defense, 19 January 2013, accessed on 20 January 2013 . 
177. ↑ ^{a b} France confirms Mali military intervention . BBC News. January 11, 2013. Retrieved January 14, 2013.
178. ↑ United Nations - UN Security Council backs French intervention in Mali. DW, January 15, 2013, accessed January 15, 2013 . 
179. ↑ Mali air strikes: 'The situation has become much more volatile,' says Ban Ki-moon . Retrieved October 15, 2013.
180. ↑ Over 100,000 Malians are fleeing abroad. Tagesschau , January 15, 2013, accessed on January 15, 2013 . 
181. ↑ Military intervention in Mali - Afisma is called the rescue . Retrieved October 15, 2013.
182. ↑ Only logistical help: German military aircraft for France's Mali mission. Focus Online, January 15, 2013, accessed January 16, 2013 . 
183. ↑ EU sends military instructors to Mali. Stern.de, January 17, 2013, accessed on January 17, 2013 . 
184. ↑ nato.int
185. ↑ Interview in the FAZ of January 18, 2013, p. 2: "I see no role for NATO in Mali"
186. ↑ meta.tagesschau.de ( Memento from January 17, 2013 in the Internet Archive ), accessed January 19, 2013.
187. ^ French tanks moved to Mali. DeutschlandTrend January 2013, archived from the original on January 22, 2013 ; Retrieved January 18, 2013 . 
188. ↑ Islamist terror: Lammert criticizes the German commitment to Mali. Spiegel Online, accessed January 19, 2013 . 
189. ^ Fight against Islamists in Mali: "Germany must send troops". Spiegel Online, accessed January 21, 2013 . 
190. ^ War in Mali: Bundeswehr refueled French fighter jets for the first time. Spiegel Online, accessed March 5, 2013 . 
191. ↑ Mali PM arrives in Algiers after pledge of support . Retrieved October 15, 2013.
192. ↑ Algeria grants airspace to French jets for raids in Mali . Retrieved October 15, 2013.
193. ^ Algeria closes its border with Mali as conflict escalates. DW, January 14, 2013, accessed January 15, 2013 . 
194. Jump up ↑ 30,000 refugees in Mali. Spiegel Online, January 15, 2013, accessed January 15, 2013 . 
195. ↑ Les frappes françaises se poursuivent au Mali . Retrieved October 15, 2013.
196. ↑ Dominique de Villepin: "Non, la guerre ce n'est pas la France" . Le Journal du dimanche. January 12, 2013. Retrieved January 15, 2013.
197. ↑ Mali: les soldats français au sol . BBC. January 15, 2013. Retrieved January 15, 2013.
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199. ^ Fight against Islamists - French ground troops on their way to the north of Mali. Spiegel Online, January 16, 2013, accessed January 16, 2013 . 
200. ↑ Mali: des habitants de Gao tuent un chef islamiste après la mort d'un journaliste local ( Memento from February 17, 2013 in the web archive archive.today )
201. ↑ Afua Hirsch & Kim Willsher: Mali conflict: France has opened gates of hell, say rebels . The Guardian. January 14, 2013. Retrieved January 15, 2013.
202. ^ Mali conflict: French set for key ground combat. BBC News, January 16, 2013, accessed January 16, 2013 . 
203. ^ "Les populations civiles du nord du Mali sont menacées". Le Monde, January 19, 2013, accessed January 20, 2013 . 
204. ↑ Mali / Azawad: "L'appui des Touaregs aux forces françaises se négocie en coulisse". SIWEL, January 19, 2013, archived from the original on January 21, 2013 ; Retrieved January 21, 2013 . 
205. ↑ Anger against the professional revolutionaries. FAZ, January 22, 2013, accessed on January 22, 2013 . 
206. Jump up ↑ 30,000 refugees in Mali. Spiegel Online, January 15, 2013, accessed January 15, 2013 . 
207. ↑ Operations in Africa - France intensifies security measures. Spiegel Online, January 12, 2013, accessed January 15, 2013 . 
208. ^ Gas field in Algeria occupied: Islamists threaten with explosion. n-tv.de, January 16, 2013, accessed on January 16, 2013 . 
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210. ↑ "Nous deux envoyons C-130, A109 et deux 75 militaires au Mali. ». www.mil.be, January 15, 2013, accessed on January 18, 2013 (French). 
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212. ↑ Julian Isherwood: Denmark to help France in Mali ( English ) Politiken.dk. Retrieved January 14, 2013.
213. ↑ Christian Wenande: Air Force cargo plane heading to Mali ( English ) The Copenhagen Post. Archived from the original on January 15, 2013. Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved January 15, 2013. 
214. ↑ Christian Wenande: Denmark Mali ( English ) AP. Retrieved January 15, 2013.
215. ↑ Germany wants to help France in Mali ( German ) SPIEGEL Online. Retrieved January 15, 2013.
216. ↑ Fighting in Mali - German Transalls for France's Desert Mission ( German ) SPIEGEL Online. Retrieved January 15, 2013.
217. ↑ Germany sends two Transall for ECOWAS to Mali ( German ) Thomas Wiegold . Retrieved January 16, 2013.
218. ↑ Luftwaffe begins relocation to Africa ( German ) Luftwaffe. Retrieved January 17, 2013.
219. ↑ Assisting ECOWAS on the scope ( English ) EATC. Archived from the original on January 21, 2013. Retrieved January 19, 2013.
220. ↑ Operation contingent landed in Africa ( German ) Luftwaffe. Retrieved October 21, 2013.
221. ↑ Mali, l'Italia offre supporto logistico all'operazione militare francese ( Italian ) Corriere. Retrieved January 17, 2013.
222. ↑ Mali, dall'Italia tre aerei e da 15 a 24 istruttori ( Italian ) il Giornale.it. Retrieved January 22, 2013.
223. ↑ Canada sends C-17 to Mali ( English ) The Canadian Press. Retrieved January 14, 2013.
224. ↑ Canada sending C-17 transport plane to help allies in Mali. Société Radio-Canada , January 14, 2013, accessed January 15, 2013 . 
225. ↑ Évreux-Fauville Air Base (English)
226. ↑ Canadian C-17 joins allied efforts en route to Mali. CBC News, January 15, 2013, accessed January 15, 2013 . 
227. ^ Mali: Paris veut une aide candadienne. Le Figaro, January 17, 2013, accessed January 19, 2013 (French). 
228. ^ Dutch Transport Aircraft Available For Operation Serval. Aviation Week, January 17, 2013, accessed January 19, 2013 . 
229. ↑ http://www.defensie.nl/missies/actueel/algemeen/2013/01/17/46202268/Nederlands_transport_voor_Franse_missie_Mali ( Memento from February 23, 2013 in the web archive archive.today )
230. ↑ Что делают российские транспортные самолеты в Мали? (No longer available online.) Msn, January 15, 2013, archived from the original on January 16, 2013 ; Retrieved January 18, 2013 (Russian). Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  
231. ^ Mali: Moscou promet une aide militaire à la France. msn, January 18, 2013, accessed January 20, 2013 (French). 
232. ↑ España mantiene que sólo enviará instructores a Mali en una misión de la UE ( Spanish ) ElMundo.es. Retrieved January 17, 2013.
233. ↑ España ofrece un avión de transporte para la intervención en Malí ( Spanish ) ABC.es. Retrieved January 17, 2013.
234. ↑ España enviará un avión Hércules y cincuenta instructores a Mali ( Spanish ) terra. Retrieved January 18, 2013.
235. ↑ España se involucra en la operación aliada en Mali por "interés nacional" ( Spanish ) La Vanguardia. Retrieved January 19, 2013.
236. ↑ Efectivos de la Legión se preparan en Almería para acudir a Malí ( Spanish ) diariodesevilla.es. Retrieved April 11, 2013.
237. ↑ 2,000 Tchadiens en route. Precision: ils n'appartiennent pas à la force de la CEDEAO. Lignes de défense, January 17, 2013, accessed January 19, 2013 (French). 
238. ↑ Le Tchad va envoyer 2,000 hommes au Mali. Liberation, January 16, 2013, accessed January 21, 2013 (French). 
239. ↑ Mali: le Tchad soutient l'intervention militaire de la France. French.China.org.CN, January 16, 2013, accessed January 21, 2013 (French). 
240. ↑ MALI. La France un peu moins isolée… un peu. Le Nouvel Observateur, January 21, 2013, accessed January 22, 2013 (French). 
241. ↑ Panetta: No US Troops to Mali ( English ) Voice of America. Retrieved January 16, 2013.
242. ↑ UPDATE 1-US expands limited support for French mission in Mali. Reuters, January 17, 2013, accessed January 19, 2013 (French). 
243. ↑ Mali: French hunt fugitive rebels after seizing Diabaly from Islamists. The Guardian, January 21, 2013, accessed January 21, 2013 . 
244. ^ Panetta: US Assistance to French in Mali Could Serve as Model. The Guardian, January 21, 2013, archived from the original on January 2013 ; accessed on January 22, 2013 (English). 
245. ^ Pentagon: No Charge to French Forces for US Support. Defense News, January 22, 2013, accessed January 23, 2013 . 
246. ↑ UK troops to assist Mali operation to halt rebel advance ( English ) BBC News. Retrieved January 13, 2013.
247. ↑ David Cameron praises C17 plane just moments before it breaks down ( English ) The Telegraph. Retrieved January 14, 2013.
248. ↑ Second RAF C-17 departs for Mali ( English ) defencetalk.com. Retrieved January 15, 2013.
249. ^ Mali: Operation Serval, poursuite du déploiement des forces. French Ministry of Defense, January 14, 2013, accessed January 16, 2013 . 
250. ↑ SAS and spy planes set for Mali as Britain offer more support in battle against 'terrorist scourge' of Al Qaeda. Mail Online, January 21, 2013, accessed January 22, 2013 . 
251. ^ UK special forces active in Mali. The Guardian, January 22, 2013, accessed January 23, 2013 . 
252. ↑ ^{a b} War without Pictures ( Memento from January 31, 2013 in the Internet Archive )
253. ↑ DÉFENSE BUDGET OPÉRATIONNEL DE LA DÉFENSE. ASSEMBLÉE NATIONALE, October 10, 2012, accessed January 24, 2013 . 
254. ↑ Guerre au Mali: combien ça coûte? Maliweb.net, January 23, 2013, archived from the original on January 24, 2013 ; Retrieved January 24, 2013 . 
255. ↑ France wants to start withdrawing troops from Mali in March ( Memento des original from February 11, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.